London Olympics puts IT on starting blocks

Countdown to Games will start with appointment of technology director

The 2012 London Olympics IT team is likely to use radio frequency identification (RFID) to manage its assets, and advanced mobile technologies to relay information to fans and athletes.

The appointment of the London Olympics technology director is expected in the second half of 2006, and IT supplier Atos Origin will then begin preliminary discussions to plan and scope the project to support the 2012 Games.

Massimo Dossetto, IT security architect for the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, says he expects massive advances in technology before the London Games.

But he expects Atos Origin to use technologies that by 2012 will have been tried and tested and become industry-standard.

‘This is not a showcase for IT – it is a showcase for sport,’ said Dossetto. ‘You have to spend a lot of time understanding how the technology will be accepted by the end user.’

Dossetto expects tagging technology to be used to help track and trace equipment.

‘RFID is one of the things that will happen. Not for the people but for asset management,’ he said.

Dossetto also says information provision is moving towards the use of wireless devices.

‘Mobile advances mean everybody will be able to have results available on their laptop and PDA,’ he said.

Dosetto does not expect biometric technology to be used to control system or event access at the London Games.

‘There will be some countries that say no, because you have to deal with people from all over the world with different religions and with different behaviours,’ he said.

The Atos Origin contract with the International Olympic Committee is the world's largest sports-related IT contract, covering six summer and winter games.

The next event in the sequence is the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.