PLANS have been scrapped to build arenas for the badminton and rhythmic gymnastics for the 2012 Olympics. The Olympics Board is to use existing facilities at Wembley Arena to stage the two sports instead

By Mike Brooke

PLANS have been scrapped to build arenas for the badminton and rhythmic gymnastics for the 2012 Olympics.

The Olympics Board has decided to use existing facilities at Wembley Arena to stage the two sports instead of erecting temporary venues on the North Greenwich Peninsula, it was disclosed last night.

This follows financial pressures to complete the �2 billion Olympics project in the face of the world recession.

But the plans are subject to approval by both the International Badminton and Rhythmic Gymnastics federations.

The London organising committee is putting the proposal to the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique during the World Gymnastics championships in London this week and to the Badminton World Federation next week.

It will then be presented to the International Olympics Commission next month for final approval in December.