The Millennium Stadium has been hailed as a ‘fantastic’ venue by officials at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

The home of Welsh sport triggered a range of positive feedback from LOCOG sources while the venue played its part in London 2012 for the Olympic football tournament.

Following a successful run of 11 soccer games, including the first sporting event of London 2012 and a nail-biting Team GB men’s quarter-final, LOCOG Venue General Manager Peter Withers said:

“The Olympic football tournament in Cardiff has been a huge success and I am proud to have worked at such a fantastic venue as the Millennium Stadium.

“Hundreds of thousands of fans have travelled to Cardiff over 11 games and with the Millennium Stadium occupying such a superb location in the city-center the atmosphere in and around the stadium has been electric.

“Supporters of all nationalities have enjoyed the family-friendly mood and there’s been a feeling of genuine Olympic spirit outside of London.

“The venue and the city of Cardiff has attracted positive feedback from so many people involved.”     

Over 400,000 thousand football fans watched the world-class football action inside the Millennium Stadium during the London 2012 Games and, for over 60,000 visitors, the occasion was extra special when the fully-retractable roof closed for what was the first-ever indoor Olympic football event.   

“As well as being the only Olympic football stadium with a roof,” added Mr Withers. “There is another reason that the stadium is world-renowned for hosting major sports and entertainment events and that’s the people behind the scenes.

“It’s been a delight to work with such a positive team of professionals at the Millennium. There’s a wealth of knowledge and a remarkable can-do attitude under that retractable roof and I’m hugely grateful to everyone for their enthusiasm and support.”         

Head of the London 2012 Olympics, Seb Coe, was also struck by the Olympic fever in and around the Millennium Stadium on matchdays.

"I came in this morning and I felt I'd arrived in an Olympic city," said Lord Coe ahead of the first footballing event.

"This is a city I know well; I come to Cardiff regularly, but it had an Olympic feel to it today and that’s fantastic."

The curtain fell on Wales’ Olympic chapter when Japan took the Bronze Medal with a 2-0 victory over South Korea last weekend. Reflecting on a successful Games, Millennium Stadium manager Gerry Toms said: “We knew we had to get it right – and we did it!”