But many ordinary tourists will steer clear of London during (and, probably, shortly before and after) the Olympics, predicts Tom Jenkins of the European Tour Operators Association, a trade body.

ECONOMIST: The culture industry will struggle during the Olympics

Barry Bloom, Jim Caple, Chris De Luca, Gordon Edes, Jeff Fletcher, Gerry Fraley, Paul Hagen, Tom Haudricourt, Mike Imrem, Bruce Jenkins, Richard Justice, Tim Kawakami, Tom Keegan, Tim Kurkjian, Carrie Muskat, Bob Nightengale, Ian O'Connor, Buster Olney, Rob Parker, Joe Posnanski, Ron Rapoport, Tracy Ringolsby, Henry Schulman, Claire Smith, Jayson Stark, Dave Van Dyck.

CNN: A baseball game nobody wins

Wales will be missing Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Richie Rees, Tom Shanklin and Andrew Bishop.

BBC: Six Nations: Delon Armitage banned for eight weeks

As well as props Jones and Jenkins, he is also without injured centre Tom Shanklin and suspended scrum-half Richie Rees for the entire tournament.

BBC: Wales boss Gatland eyes stand-ins for Adam Jones

They joined prop Jenkins, Duncan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Dafydd Jones, Dan Lydiate, Gareth Cooper, Tom Shanklin, Tom James and Mark Jones on the sidelines, while Gareth Delve was not considered.

BBC: Wales suffer Andy Powell injury blow