Organisers are trying to accommodate badminton and rhythmic gymnastics in new venues to save the £40 million cost of building a temporary venue that would need to be demolished after the Games.

They had originally hoped to stage the two sports in the ExCel Arena by moving boxing to Wembley.

But that plan was scuppered when boxing, supported by the British Olympic Association, mounted a successful campaign to oppose the move and they are now staying at the ExCel Arena in Victoria Dock.

London 2012 are now proposing that badminton and rhythmic gymnastics be held at Wembley Arena.

But badminton, which is due to stage its World Championships at Wembley in 2011, has promised to fight the move because they claim the extra travelling from the Olympic Village in Stratford to North West London would put its players under too much extra stress.

Gymnastics, though, have said that they would be happy to hold their event at Wembley.

Brian Stocks, the chief executive of British Gymnastics, told insidethegames: “We are aware of the great challenges [of finding a venue for London 2012] and we are working closely with LOCOG to find a solution.

"As long as we have a suitable venue for London 2012, we will be happy.

“Nothing has yet been confirmed.

"We just want to be in a venue that is suitable for rhythmic gymnastics and that is the most important thing.
 

“While we would obviously rather be located in a central location in London for the 2012 Games, we do not particularly mind as long as the venue is a suitable one and we shall work hard with London 2012 to ensure that is the case."

The issue will be discussed with London 2012 by officials from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) when the Artistic World Championships are staged at the O2 next month.

The O2 is also due to stage artistic gymnastics during the 2012 Olympics.

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