The London 2012 Judo Team, Lisa Allan, Simone Callender and Jullian Davies, give us some 2012 ticketing tips...

Dear judo community,

If you’re hoping to get your hands on tickets for London 2012, the best piece of advice we can give you is to sign up now! Don’t miss out on tickets for the greatest show on earth, just because you haven’t signed up.

Here’s the link you need: http://www.tickets.london2012.com

Remember to consider the following points when applying for tickets:

•  It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You can apply between 15 March and 26 April 2011. It’s not first come first served – everyone has an equal chance. So take your time and plan your application carefully before submitting it.

•  Talk to friends and family about the sessions you want to see and think about your budget.

•  There are special prices for young people and seniors in more than 220 sessions.

•  Increase your chances.  Consider applying for the early rounds of competition, not just the later stages.

•  Paralympic Games tickets go on sale on 9 September 2011

Application process

What will the process be?
We are asking people to apply for tickets for sessions.  For sessions which are over-subscribed we will run a ballot process which will see the available tickets allocated fairly.  The website will allow you to search all the ticketed sport sessions by sport, by date or by venue.  You will then choose which sessions to apply for. You will need a Visa card to apply online.  Visa will be the only card accepted on the official London 2012 ticketing website.

Will the application process be online only or will there be alternative methods?
There will be a postal application process. Brochures can be collected from any Lloyds TSB branch in England and Wales, Bank of Scotland branches in Scotland and in public libraries in Northern Ireland. Postal applications must reach us by April 26 or they will not be processed. We advise that postal applications are sent by special delivery.

Are there limits to what tickets people can apply for?
Yes.  We will only accept one application per person and there is a maximum of 20 sessions allowed per application.  There are different limits for different sessions – e.g. some are four, others, such as, football preliminaries are 30. You can only apply for a session once.

At what stage will people have to give payment details and at what stage will payment be taken?
People will be asked to provide payment details on application.  No money will be taken until tickets are allocated.  Payment will only be taken from successful applicants between 10 May and 10 June.

Are there going to be alternative methods of payments for those who don’t have Visa cards?

Yes we will also accept postal applications for tickets using the ticket application form contained in the official ticketing guide. Applications will be accepted between 15 March and 11.59pm on 26 April. Payment can be made via cheque or postal order.

Can I choose the specific seats I want on my application?
Applications will be for tickets in a particular price category rather than for specific seats – seating plans will not be available.  Most sessions have tickets available in more than one price category.  For example tickets in price category A will provide seating with a better view than a ticket in price category E at the same session and venue.  All price categories will still provide a great Games experience. 

When will I know what tickets I have got?
All applicants will be notified by email or letter no later than 24 June 2011.

When will I receive my tickets?
All tickets will be delivered in the summer of 2012.

Fraudulent tickets

The important message for consumers is that in the UK, tickets will only be available through London 2012, our partner Thomas Cook and our suppliers Prestige Ticketing Ltd and JetSet. Outside of the UK, tickets will only be available for purchase through each National Olympic Committee’s appointed ticket agent – a list of which appears on our website.

If in any doubt, people should proceed with caution. There will be a website checker on the London 2012 website from 15 March 2011 which will inform people whether a website is genuine or not.

Merchandising

There is some fabulous London 2012 merchandising available and is the perfect treat for yourself or a gift for friends and family. Please visit the online shop http://shop.london2012.com or take some time to visit one of the London 2012 shops on your way to a competition or training. London 2012 shops are located in:

• St Pancras International
  Address: Unit 2A, St Pancras International, Pancras Road, London NW1 2QP.

• Paddington Station
  Address: Unit 29, The Lawn, Paddington Station, London W2 1HA

• John Lewis Oxford Street (fifth floor)
  Address: John Lewis, fifth floor, 300 Oxford Street, London W1A 1EX.

We look forward to seeing you there in 2012,

The London 2012 Judo Team

Also, a note from the British Judo Association:

It is important to note that British Judo will not be selling tickets as the Association is not legally allowed to act as a ticket agent. 

We have been able to apply and be allocated a small number of tickets for specific purposes agreed by London 2012. Some of these purposes include aiding performance, an amount for those athletes selected to compete, a small allocation for our Board, Areas, Home Countries and those officials and referees selected for the Games.