csconstantine.com

By Sportsbeat staff

THE curtain raiser to next year's Premier League season will kick-off on the final day of the London 2012 Olympics - but a compromise has kept the match out of the capital.

CLASH: The 2012 Community Shield will be staged during the Olympics - but it won't be played at Wembley (Reuters)

A condition of London 2012's host city contract with the International Olympic Committee forces organisers to work with other sporting bodies to ensure the Games takes place in an uncluttered calendar.

Organising committee chief executive Paul Deighton had already negotiated for the FA Premier League season to start one week later than usual but it appeared there was no other way to accommodate the annual Community Shield, between the top flight champions and FA Cup winners.

It was suggested the match could be played one or two days after the Olympics conclude but feedback from clubs suggested they wanted more time between the fixture and their opening league games on Sunday August 19th.

Wembley will stage the final of the Olympic men's football tournament on Saturday August 11th and therefore won't be available to stage showpiece curtain raiser.

Football Association officials had considered taking the match aboard but again there was opposition from the majority of teams consulted - who all wanted the game played on Sunday August 12th.

Manchester's Old Trafford - which will host a men's Olympic semi-final five days earlier - is considered the frontrunner to stage the game, although Manchester United have featured in 14 of the last 18 Community Shield matches. 

Labels: clash, curtain, Games, league, London, Olympics, Premier, raiser