Sydney, April 29: Olympic organisers relented after the bad press they received over trying to force spectators to buy 50-dollar (US $30) snacks at the September Games and on Saturday said sandwiches and bottled water could be brought into the venues.Olympic co-ordination authority director general David Richmond said decisions on what will be allowed into venues will be taken in a sensible manner.He said organisers wanted people to take as little as possible to Olympic sites to help with crowd and waste management.Spectators who attend designated Olympic picnic areas, such as the three-day equestrian event, the mountain biking, the cycle road race, the triathlon and near the rowing regatta centre would have no restrictions on food.Olympics minister Michael Knight had described the ban on bring-your-own food and drink as ``a contractual and waste management issue.''The hampers of food he wanted spectators to buy at Games venues were priced in Sydney shops at only 21 dollars.Ticket details announcedThe final release of 2.4 million tickets for the Games will go on sale on May 7, SOCOG announced on Saturday.The bulk of tickets would be available via mail-order forms in Australia's News Limited newspaper network but tickets for high demand events would be available through telephone call centers.Athletics tickets would go on sale first with tickets for other sports released on a day by day basis, said SOCOG deputy chief executive Michael Eyers.Further details of the release will be announced on May 7.US qualify for soccer finalsPENNSYLVANIA: The United States qualified for their sixth consecutive Olympic football tournament on Friday by routing Guatemala 4-0 in the semi-final of the CONCACAF regional qualifying event.The victory extended the Americans' home unbeaten streak in qualifiers to 15 matches - a run that includes 13 victories and two draws. The last time they lost at home was in 1975, when they failed to reach the 1976 Summer Games.The United States will meet Honduras in Sunday's championship match. Honduras also qualified for the Sydney Games, beating Mexico 5-4 on penalties after finishing scoreless after extra time.Landon Donovan, the most valuable player at the Under-17 World championships last year and who hadn't played a minute in the Olympic qualifying tournament before Friday, led the way, scoring a goal in each half. John O'Brien and Josh Wolff also found the back of net before a crowd of 1,2299 at Hersheypark Stadium.``It was great for us,'' said Albright, who played a role on the first three goals. ``Any time in a big game like this, you get out early, this is what you're looking for.The relentless Americans attacked at will, forcing beleaguered Guatemalan goalkeeper Luis Pedro Molina to make 13 saves, several of them spectacular ones.The United States used three forwards, as opposed to its usual two-forward system.
