Visa, a founding member of the IOC’s Top Partner programme and one of London 2012’s biggest sponsors, has been heavily criticised for failing to provide cash machines which can be used by people with sight defects, according to the BBC.

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) threatened legal action against the company in July under the Equality Act, saying ATMs must have audio assistance, only pulling back when Visa agreed to temporarily upgrade two of the machines. That was never done, but the company insisted it had still met its obligations under equality legislation.

The RNIB said it worked with LOCOG for more than three years to ensure cash machines in the Olympic and Paralympic Park included the latest audio technology to assist the blind and partially sighted. But while the six machines feature Braille, tactile keypads and have a socket for headphones, Visa was unable to provide the software required to make them function in time for the Olympics and Paralympics.

The RNIB said it reserved the right to take further action if it received any reports that blind people were experiencing difficulties in using the ATMs.