LONDON 2012: Olympic tickets to go on general sale but athletics, swimming and cycling are sold out

By Sportsbeat staff

LONDON 2012 tickets will finally go on general sale from Wednesday - but be prepared to be patient and don't expect the chance to go bargain hunting.

IN DEMAND: London 2012 tickets will go on general sale for 11am on Wednesday May 23rd - but availabilty is limited (Locog)

Organisers Locog have confirmed that several sports have now totally sold out including athletics, cycling, equestrian, tennis, swimming, canoe slalom, rhythmic gymnastics, modern pentathlon, synchronised swimming and triathlon. There is also no availability for either the opening or closing ceremony.

If you want to watch archery, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, canoe sprint, diving, handball or hockey be prepared to pay - with seats only available at higher price points, up to £450.

However, there are still £20 tickets available in a number of sports including boxing and taekwondo - where Team GB medal hopes are strong - fencing, football, table tennis, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.

Organisers have been highly criticised for their ticketing policies but claim they have delivered on their promise to get those who missed out last year prized seats at the Games.

Nearly 20,000 people who were unsuccessful in the initial two ticketing windows had first option to select from the one million contingency seats that went on sale just under two weeks ago.

Locog then spent last week selling tickets in waves to an estimated one million people who were unsuccessful in the first round of ticket sales last summer.

"Our priority has been to get as many people who missed out in the sales process last year to the Games," said London 2012 commercial director Chris Townsend.

"We have delivered on our promise and now another 150,000 people have successfully purchased up to four tickets each.  

"We are now putting the remaining tickets back on general sale. Wednesday’s sale is a live sale, and, like other high demand events including pop concerts, we expect the website to be very busy and customers may well be held in queues for over 30 minutes at peak times."

© Sportsbeat 2012