Are you looking forward to the London Olympics?

The olympics must be the biggest waste of money of all time - for which I am being forced to pay out of a concealed hike in my council tax. We will be saddled with the debt for the Olympics for years to come.

I am looking forward to them being over.

I, for one, am already sick and tired of hearing about the 2012 Olympics. My only hope is that it will be over quickly.

Fortunately I will have retired by the time the games start so will not need to find a parking space in Hackney Wick, (on the edge of the Olympic site). Mind you I can think of plenty of other reasons not to go to Hackney Wick!
Sorry, this is the only significance the games have for me. I think they are an outdated and tarnished institution which has more to do with jingoism than human achievement. I am also heartily sick of beng told how environmentally friendly the London games will be.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I fail to see why we're pouring money into an event that will last only days and leave a legacy that in the main is unlikely to show any return to the tax payer; especially after the cost of the opening and closing ceremonies and security have all been taken into account.

If the sponsors and others promoting the event are so keen on doing so, why aren't they entirely dependant on the private markets for funding, perhaps then the cold sword of reality might appear and make them realise just how much of our money is being poured into the potentially bottomless pit to appease the olympic organisation.

Moving on to the attempts to win the right to stage the world cup, let the football clubs upgrade or build their own new stadiums and the football association finance the entire logistical operation, receiving hopefully some very realistic bills from the applicable Police authorities and other bodies they will expect access to, that the rest of us will be taxed even greater to finance.

At the time of one of the greatest recessions I find pumping this amount of money into sport to be a gross waste of money.

Cancel all future plans to host international sports events unless privately financed 100 percent and finish the projects for the olympics that are actually in progress and make do with what they have.

The rest of the country is having to make do, why can't this project?

Yes I am - I have my doubts and complaints like everyone but I'm determined to put them aside and enjoy it - we'll show the world what a broke (or is that broken) Britain can do!!!

The London Olympics will begin in exactly two years. What are your hopes for the 2012 games?

The Olympics should be a time of naional and international joy ... but this is rarely the case.

Why?

The global influence of capital will mean that the majority of people will be bystanders in their own country.

Local business - shops, taxis etc will find themselves sidelined. The Big Boys will ensure that they get every drop of benefit.

Proof - just look at South Africs

No

How many average Londoners will attend the games? Ticket prices at olympics are generally so high that the very people whose taxes built the venues will not benefit from them. But that is not what the games are all about. Oh no. The games are all about the rich foreigners who have to eat, be housed, transported and supplied with souvenirs. They will spend large amounts that will enter the local economy. That is what the Lord Mayor wants. That is what the bookies want. Isn't that what you want?

Isn't it ironic? A country in the throes of recession, cutting back civil services, health care, defense, even police, still spends itself silly on the olympic games, You have really given yourself a white elephant this time.

Let me guess - the posts will be about 75% negative, what a waste of money, time, tv schedules trashed, taxpayers money etc etc. The other 25% will be positive, national pride, great world event, regeneration of a run down area, better facilities for all when they are finished etc etc. The reason I know this is because you keep asking this question in a variety of ways and the answers are always the same. Why bother to ask the question again or if you insist on doing so why not just cut and paste the answers from last time?
Can someone explain why we are being asked this question at all - this whole website is supposed to be a discussion forum for events that are in the news. There is no reason for the olympics to even be mentioned other than it is exactly 2 years away - why is this considered to be newsworthy

I wonder what percentage will be for people claiming asylum in Britain will be in 2012?.

I wonder how many poorer countries will leave with full squads?.

9. At 03:29am on 27 Jul 2010, Jacques Bouvier wrote:
How many average Londoners will attend the games? Ticket prices at olympics are generally so high that the very people whose taxes built the venues will not benefit from them. But that is not what the games are all about. Oh no. The games are all about the rich foreigners who have to eat, be housed, transported and supplied with souvenirs. They will spend large amounts that will enter the local economy. That is what the Lord Mayor wants. That is what the bookies want. Isn't that what you want?
....................................
Ideally, what I want and what I suspect many people want is for the amount of money spent by these 'rich foreigners' to at least equal and preferably surpass the amount of taxpayers money being spent to host them. If they were totally self financing I'm sure that even the most ardent nay-sayers would have no great objection to them.
This could very easily be achieved - we know the cost of hosting them, it would not take long to calculate how much to charge for things like corporate entertainment, ticket price, TV rights etc to cover the cost. If that means a ticket price of more than 100 pounds for certain events then so be it. Those who wish to pay it do and the rest of us do not have to subsidise it.
What we currently have is that all Londoners are being forced, whether they like it or not to subsidise others desire to watch sporting events. I'm sure that if it were anything other than sport, a two week long music festival for example, there would never be a suggestion that it should be paid for by Londoners council tax.

The Olympic Games started in Greece; it should return there. We currently have the situation that every 4 years the venue moves around the globe and each country that hosts it tries to 'out-glitz' the ones that went before. This is a huge waste of everybodies money.
Greece recently hosted the games and their olympic site in the main is now derelict and unused. Would it not be a good idea if it was a permanent olympic site used all the time for every subsequent games? Apart from anything else it would be a more meaningful competition. I'm sure that running a marathon in Athens is totally different to running in Berlin, London, Seoul, Paris etc. If it was always Athens at least everybody would be on a level playing field (pardon the pun)

that its cancelled.

My hope is to understand how the UK can have four football teams and exclude three of them from the competition without kicking a ball.

16. At 04:53am on 27 Jul 2010, Bon Qui Qui wrote:
My hope is to understand how the UK can have four football teams and exclude three of them from the competition without kicking a ball.
..............................
Not sure about Scotland or Wales but as far as Ireland are concerned you should really ask Thierri Henri and FIFA, they might have the answer.

The fact that this absurd, media driven frenzy, which has little or nothing to do with sport, should be brought to our capitol city is one that makes me cringe and can only to serve to show the rest of the world what, after 13 years of a socialist government led by liars cheats and thieves, what a second rate nation we have become.

The only ones to get any benefit from this nonsense are those whose personal fortunes have been made by duping the games selection committee by under-calling the cost of staging 'The Games' in London.

Are you looking forward to the London Olympics?

Yes. But not "looking forward to go to London to see Olympics.
London is not any attrative place for a sports meet when compared to cities across Japan or the USA.

Should I? This is the London Olympics and I live in Manchester so it doesn't really bother me. I doubt I could afford to go even if they gave away the tickets with the price of travel to and accommodation in London being out of my reach. However if history is anything to go by availability of tickets for the best events will be restricted to those who are in the know or priced so high most of us couldn't afford them.
I just don't feel any connectionto the games it is out of my area and ou of my price range.

Complete and utter waste of time and money. Roll on 2013, because I'm already sick to death of hearing about it.

Are you looking forward to the London Olympics? - NO

Hopefully I will be as far away as I can get.

I feel sorry for all those people who are supposed to be competing at the top level of their sport, especially the more stamina orientated disciplines.

Everyone chokes in London during the summer, it's a horrible windless polluted overpopulated environment.

I went round the world the equivalent of 5 times in the 1980s and worked in some pretty crummy hot places.
The two worst most unforgettable places in the world I was in for humidity and general muggyness were the Sudan and London.

After watching all the undercover TV documentaries on the International Olympic Committee and their shady dealings I stopped supporting the Olympics about 15 years ago. I refuse to be part of it.

The London Olympics will be just like the others. The rich and famous will breeze in and take the best tickets leaving the less desirable tickets for everyone else and a huge bill for the UK taxpayer.

The organisers will, again, give the Queen and the Royal Family excellent seats for the best events and they will sit there, again, with not one smile or spark of pleasure. It's clear they don't want to be there. We should leave them at home and give their tickets to a true sports fan who really wants to be there but cannot afford to buy a ticket.

No. It is a complete waste of time and money.

I'm personally not interested in going to watch people running and jumping about, and spending hundreds of pounds for doing so. You see much more on the TV anyway. I really can't see what the point is but of course I'm sure lots of people do enjoy it so good luck to them.

Well the moaners are out in force. Personally I am looking forward to the Olympic games, I expect I am one of the few sports fans that actually post here.

Yes, we could moan,whine & rail about the cost of the olympics.

We all know that the UK would never have bid had we known the state the country's finances would be in at theis point in time.

But hell, there's no chance of it being cancelled know, so rather than moaning about the waste, I for one intend to sit back, kickback and enjoy.

No - It will be a colossal failure and whats worse if the regeneration, jobs and growth promised has gone to non UK citizens and corporate companies who are creaming the wealth off.

I feel sorry for the poor suckers of London who are lining the before mentioned pockets and bearing a large proportion of the cost, pollution (including noise)and travel inconvience.

The biggest sporting event in the world is the football world cup and they spread the events round the country. The Olympics is a London event so nothing to do with the rest of the country Ive got no interest in it.

Good to see all that much needed money and resourses being spent in London!
Im sure the Olympics will be a great boost to the economy of London and suburbs? (like they need it), With great facilities for Londoners afterwards!
I doubt if people north of Watford Gap will benefit as usual.

Not particularly, it's two years away I have other thing to think about.. However as you have brought it up. I guess I hope that are Athletes put up a better performance than our, (English,) footballers did at the World Cup.

I know people are worried about the money...but tell me a country that hosted the games that didn't benefit from it in the long term?

Personally I can't wait - I'm looking forward to taking my elderly father to watch the athletics.

I'm only looking forward to them to the extent that the sooner they're here, the sooner they're over. They're a terrible waste of money, particularly now we're in massive economic crisis, but then they always have been.
Whatever they may say, the 'legacy' will be a millstone round our necks for years to come, and as a London Council Tax payer I fear the worst. If they'd wanted to regenerate that part of East London (and how it was needed!) the Government could have done so, purpose-built, for half the cost, and for example have provided proper homes instead of a refurbished Olympic Village built for an entirely different job. If they'd wanted to spend the other half of the billions there are plenty of places outside the South East that need it more.
The 'legacy' will be a major headache and in place of a collective Aspirin I think we can look forward to hearing quite a number of names of the overpaid Delivery Authority for years to come. It's been the most successful job creation scheme for the supposedly Great and Good that could ever have been envisaged; the next thing we'll hear about is the Pension Scheme.
I love sport and played more than one Olympic sport for about 30 years. But this is nothing but Showbiz.

I live in Essex and work in the City and have already told my employer’s that I will be taking at least 3 weeks off when the Olympic Games start.

Commuting into London is already a nightmare and will be unbearable for the duration of the games.

I have no interest in athletics or the Olympics at all, I will not be watching any of it and I do not want my taxes wasted on what is just a jolly for the rich and the good and as many people have already said those that want it should fund it and not expect others who have absolutely no interest in it to pick up the tab for years to come.

I was looking forward to the Olympics until we were informed that all non-Visa credit cards were not acceptable to pay for anything. Now I will not pay any attention whatsoever to the whole event, not even on TV.

We can't afford it, the coffers are bare, we have no money, the country's finances are in a massive hole of debt which we will not have climbed out of by 2012.

So....in a word - NO.

We should be setting an example and not plowing masses of money into this. Why not start a competition on which country can do this the cheepest. That wont happen because the competition is who can spend the most. The UK doesnt have excess money and tax payers certainly dont so we shouldnt be spending so much on a sporting event that wil only have a return for a limited time.
I like the olympics but I worry that its just another payment that this country doesnt need

No, total waste anytime, let alone austere ones. Who wants to watch a bunch of drug addicts competing with each other? Countries making it political it becomes more like the Roman Games every time.

I would be looking forward to them if I knew that Britain was going to be well represented and it was going to bring about any change in UK sport.

However it obviously isn't. The government is still going to remain totally apathetic about the importance of exercise and sporting participation and the next generations adding to the obesity statistics will remain oblivious to it as well.

Nope in fact i'm dreading it never wanted it held here still don't and when its all over the poor will not see the benefits of whats left behind, its another excuse for the rich to get richer just look at what the so called expert advisors get paid.
I dont know how running around in a circle qualifies to be an "expert" on anything except running around in a circle or the same for running a short distance then jumping forward, wow how that must improve society.

16. At 04:53am on 27 Jul 2010, Bon Qui Qui wrote:
My hope is to understand how the UK can have four football teams and exclude three of them from the competition without kicking a ball.

----

Because 3 of them, Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales have refudes to participate, despite assurances from FIFA that it would not affect their status as independant footballing nations.

Or are they more worried about the potential humiliation of none of them having players selected for a British team.

What are your hopes for the 2012 games?

I suspect the games are going to be more cringe inducing than anything.

The closing performance by the Chinese when they had the Olympics was well choreographed and as such breathe taking, truly breathe taking that people could be organised to perform something so awe inspiring.

In contrast the acceptance by the English of the Olympic torch for the 2012 games was embarrassing to the point of cringe educing and I had to turn over. Bar the London bus and Jimmy Page there was nothing remotely English about it. It was a multi-cultural, urban, scruffy, awkward, hip-hop, angular, street dance mess. It was disjointed, amateur and thoroughly unpleasant and those who organized this travesty should hang their heads in shame for the dishonour they have brought to this country.

If this is what we have to look forward to as the overriding theme for our Olympics – an inner city youth club hocked up on caffeine drinks and Ritalin and as devolved from anything even remotely English as its possible to get then I intend to disassociate myself from this as much as possible, it is going to be a mess.

Where did we go so wrong?

New Labour were so desperate to get this circus that they claimed that no taxpayers money would need to be spent on it, then they said that "because of a small economic downturn, private enterprise might not be able to cover all the costs" Next lie was "it just needs a small top up to ensure that the facilities are ready for 2012. And so it continued until the taxpayers commitment was more than £9000000000. We have seen these drip by drip lies by New Labour many times over many different issues but we now have a government that claims that it is committed to cutting waste, let them prove this commitment by blocking any more requests for money. If this results in the circus organisers being embarrassed I promise not to weep too much.

I hope for some proper coverage - UK media reporting of the last Olympics was appalling, focussed solely on 'team GB' instead of on the best that WORLD athletes can display. I do not care about nationalities, I want to see sporting excellence.

I have been listening to Boris about the Olympics, great stuff. My suggestion would be why don't the Olympic committee and Boris, (because he thinks outsided the box) organize people to come and see the build, they would pay a small fee and be supplied hats and jackets and put on a land train. They did this at the Eden Project which helped to pay for the project and it wasn't difficult, and it was exciting. They stayed on the train and the tour took about 10 mins. They finished one section where people could buy snacks and refreshments before leaving. It would allow people to see the project before the Olympics as most of us will not be able to get a ticket and it would create much support for the project once people saw what was going on and how spectacular it will look.

The police will be able to boost the crime numbers, all those drug users in one place for two weeks.

I won't go near the olympics,the people behind the NY bombings would like nothing better than topping that and they'll have 6 years to plan it,they hate the UK so it's a logical target for them.During the recent world cup the South African police,in Pretoria,arrested some persons who was selling a"dirty bomb"they actually had it,how many may have slipped through?did this make the news?

Will any housing built to house the athletes be handed over to the people as social housing when the games are over? NO they'll be sold off to the highest bidder or a mate (wink wink nod nod) and the monies will disappear never to return to good causes again.
From the beginning its been a rip off and will continue to be so the Olympic Logo is about right with the country being on the left and those running the olympics on the right, in MY OPINION.

According to the BBC I am 30% more positive about the London 2012 Olympics now than I was yesterday! I am puzzled because, despite all the mystic babblers pronouncing how 'great' they 'feel' about it now its only two years off - I still have this nagging feeling it is going to be a complete disaster - In fact, I 'feel' positively negative by at least 70% at the thought of Boris and Coe and their London Olympic triumph of tac and crass patronising popularism masquerading as a quaint English - London centric exploration in to cultural ignorance and stupidity!

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.

The Olympics are the biggest waste of money this country will endure. We shall now get two years of droning on, on TV, about our athletes, other country`s athletes, how much we are wasting on it and numerous other subjects surrounding it, which I and my family have no interest in at all.

No I am most certainly NOT looking forward to the 2012 Games and I am already making plans to be out of the country on holiday for the duration.
The whole concept has the smell of hypocrisy and corruption and I honestly feel the Games should return to Athens and stay there.
Quite how anyone has the confidence that we can succeed on a 9.3 billion budget when China's final bill was in the order of 21 Billion with forced expropriation of land with little or no compensation and endless poorly paid workers, is beyond me, but then of course, we, the Public will likely never know the final cost, will we. There will be obfuscation throughout. Suffice to consider the plight of Montreal and Athens where they are sill paying for their games.
Oh and please don't talk about the philanthropic and humanitarian benefits; if these had any more import than mere words, the next Games would be in the middle of Black Africa with hugely simplified facilities but then there would be no 6 star hotels for the exclusive use of the IOC officials - humbug and hypocrisy!

• 27. At 08:23am on 27 Jul 2010, suzie127 wrote:
Well the moaners are out in force. Personally I am looking forward to the Olympic Games; I expect I am one of the few sports fans that actually post here.
No Suzie you are not one of the few sports fans here, I along with millions of others enjoy watching football, rugby, cricket, boxing, martial arts etc (but to old to take part these days) I also play golf, go shooting, (Clay pigeon), go swimming, cycle etc.

The only difference being that I fund all of these activities I enjoy myself out of my own pocket and I do not expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill.

Very few people in this country are really interested in athletics; just look how many people are at a normal meeting, the stands are empty, and those that are there are mostly family and friends anyway.

The point is that those of us who are not remotely interested in athletics are still being forced to pay for it.

43. At 08:42am on 27 Jul 2010, Phillip of England wrote:

//Where did we go so wrong?//


Boris and Coe!

45. At 08:42am on 27 Jul 2010, Megan wrote:
I hope for some proper coverage - UK media reporting of the last Olympics was appalling, focussed solely on 'team GB' instead of on the best that WORLD athletes can display. I do not care about nationalities, I want to see sporting excellence

..........................................................

If you want to see sporting excellence give the olympics or any athletics a miss. Its turned into a competition in pharmacology the ones who don't get caught get medals those that do get caught get a must try harder next time mark.

NO WAY!

The OG has become a big financial scam just to allow a few to run round a track or chuck something into the air. I can see the same at the Sports Day of the village school where the interest is not to make money. Monsieur le Baron de Coubertin must be having a very restless time in his grave.

i'm sick of hearing about the olympics tbh!!

46. At 08:43am on 27 Jul 2010, Amanda Moody wrote:

//My suggestion would be why don't the Olympic committee and Boris, (because he thinks outsided the box)//


Thinks 'outside the Box', Boris? Are you sure about that? I 'think' the Olympic's would turn out to be a great success if we put Boris IN A BOX and set him adrift in the Thames - maybe he would float off to a 'new' airport in the middle of the North Sea or some such other nonsense!

Am I looking forward to the Olympics? Not really. Not that I object though. I feel the money could have been spend better elsewhere and London will be chaos for the weeks surrounding the event but many will enjoy it. Why is it front page news now though? Perhaps coverage should be kept to the sports news channels so only the people who are interested can watch. I for one, want to see the 'real' news when I turn on the TV in the morning when I'm getting ready for work, not Olympic or world cup babble. Good luck to Team GB, I wish them all the best! I just don't want to hear about it this much, this soon in advance.

Like the Queen and English heritage, the Olympics can only be a good thing for the British economy and should be supported – it is a chance for business people and entrepreneurs to make money for a captive market all with a common interests and needs.

My hope is that is will be cancelled.

The fact is that it was too expensive at the time of bidding and certainly too expensive during this global recession.

They also talk about the olympics being inclusive and having the power to bring people together, which is a complete lie. Just look at the events, rowing, horse riding, fencing, swimming and hockey. They are sports played by white upper class toffs. What is inclusive about that.

Are you looking forward to the London Olympics? Nope

Bread and circuses for the masses. Of course, they'll need distracting from the ongoing Depression.

I am surprised to see so many Britons opposed to hosting the Olympics. It is exactly the opposite in India. Indians supported the commonwealth games whereas the corrupt and inefficient government failed to build the necessary infrastructure in time. We think these games if properly hosted will attract tourists and encourage children to take up sports.

It's a shame that moaning isn't a national sport, because we would have that sport licked!

I can't believe some of these comments... guys up north complaining that investment is only being made in London, whereas those in London can only see doom and gloom and the cost of it all. Spread over all the population in London, wasn't the cost something like a pint of beer once a week?

It will give the chance for the rest of the world to hopefully marvel at what London can show off, much like the world marveled at China's effort. Have we also forgotten how many gold medals we won? Has everyone forgotten how proud Londoners were seeing their swimming and cycling heroes returning here? How much better will it be if they repeat it on home soil??

True, the timing isn't great with the crisis, but you could hardly foresee that and jobs ARE being created, and hopefully London will have a better infrastructure afterwards. A better infrastructure should entice companies to London (or at least make them stay!) and ultimately that's good for the entire economy, with all of the UK benefitting.

So stop wingeing and look forward to some sport and gold medals!

The Olympics was once a wonderful set piece for amateurs. Now it is a travesty of over-hyped and over-paid wannabe 'celebs', many of whom will stop at nothing to have their glory moment. The misplaced heroism afforded to medal winners is an affront to any hard working member of the public who daily meets a high performance target without so much as a word from a boss. And if they do not meet the target EVERYDAY they are fired.

We have become immersed in the superlatives of those, like Lord Coe, who seem obsessed with pretending that his sport is clean, open, and driven by the right reasons. So why is the money been thrown around in so many different directions, Seb? Do you really need a five figure income, a multi-person team to run fast or is it something you once did because you loved it?

Money and sport. When are our media people ever going to admit they just do not mix? Watch the Olympics in 2012 and you'll see just why. BBC are you reading this? You are one of the biggest offenders.

Kid yourselves all you want, but it isn't sport.

No if you work in London the best thing to do is book your holiday when its on and don't go near the place

No, I'm not looking forward to the hype, the display of wealth and the disruption of normal life.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Complete waste of money - while ordinary folk suffer and lose their jobs, we spend money we cant afford on sporting events, unwinnable wars, and filling up the offshore accounts of corrupt leaders in developing countries.....shameful.

Like a hole in my head !

I am looking forward to looking back on it, only by looking back on it can it be judged to be a success or good use of money.

62. At 09:03am on 27 Jul 2010, thelevellers wrote:

"Just look at the events, rowing, horse riding, fencing, swimming and hockey. They are sports played by white upper class toffs. What is inclusive about that."


I have to say, this is one of the most ignorant comments I have seen here. Anyone can go swimming, play hockey, join a fencing or rowing club, or learn to ride horses.

I wasn't aware that track and field events have been excluded from the Olympics? Last time I looked, there were people of all colours and nationalities participating in them, and many doing considerably better than your "white upper class toffs"?

A big YES! I definitively will go there one day to see something; just to soak up the atmosphere and just to be there. It is the biggest event in the world and off course I cannot missed.

Unbelievable this forum is full of whiners and "lethargists".

65. At 09:10am on 27 Jul 2010, LondonPhil wrote:

"Spread over all the population in London, wasn't the cost something like a pint of beer once a week?"


I didn't realise it was so expensive - that's about £12 a month, or £144 a year per person!!

Glad I don't live in London.

This over priced folly will sadly result in a "white elephant" like the "Dome" where the people pay through their taxes for elite venues only for them to fail. We then sell them at "knock down" prices to entreprenuers.

Better we do not waste the money in the first place.

Myself, I could care less about the `games`.
Will it benefit the ordinary-out-of-work people? Will it benefit those whose taxes are paying for this (seemingly unwanted) Olympics?
There are a lot of negative comments on HYS towards the games. So does this not send a message out, that people don`t care.
Will the man/woman/child on the street be able to afford the entrance tickets?

It will be interesting to see how many of the overseas visitors to this country....................actually go home after the games!

We were skint the last time we held the Olympics and we'll be skint this time around.

But then there's skint and there's skint, it's all relative.

For example, 1n 1948 both bread and potatoes were rationed.

So we've made improvements and are struggling by this time around.

No. A complete and utter waste of money for a two week jamboree that will leave no lasting benefit for the majority of those who participate in sports in this country. The money should have been spent at grassroots level to improve access and training.

We've just seen a football World Cup where the difference in the number of coaches and the system followed in a country make all the difference to the outcome. If the UK want world class numbers of participants in any sport the lesson is that money needs to be spent at the bottom, not the top.

This question should have been ask before it was brought to Britain.
Why should we support this without being asked.
Why spend money on minority sports and Seb Coe's ego

We are in one of the worst recessions ever recorded, and still billions are poured into a venture that will last 2 weeks. A complete and utter waste of money, time, manpower. Coe and Johnson have a lot to answer for, while the rest of the country pay for their 'Baby'

Yes and No.

It's costing a lot of money at a time when so many public services are under threat. Of course we have to put on a 'show' for the world!

Also, security is going to be a nightmare - which will put me off from actually going up to London so I'll watch most of it on TV.

Another factor is our unreliable weather - nothing worse than running, cycling or boat-racing in the rain.

Hopefully it won't be a huge embarrassment to us all and London will be able to pull it off.

Fantastic. I cannot wait for the Olympics. Can we ban all the miserable people from the UK for the few weeks please?!

No

Having worked on the 2006 winter olympics in Turin, I discovered that the olypic 'movement' has nothing whatsoever to do with sport. It is purely a promotional vehicle and money-making exercise for McDonalds, Coca Cola, Visa and the mobile phone technology companies; end of story.

Am I looking forward to the Games? No.

The money being spent on them is much needed elsewhere. The Games will not bring in large sums of money as people flock to the events, as has been shown to be the case in all other Olympic Games - the cities holding them are left with massive debts.

Out of work, still paying full-rate council tax which partly goes towards the Games. So not happy.

Why does Boris want volunteers? Shouldn't the foreign firms which will make the profit from he Olympics pay people a proper wage and not get cheap and free labour.

55. At 08:54am on 27 Jul 2010, The Ghosts of John Galt wrote:

//Where did we go so wrong?//


Boris and Coe!

It's a tad unfair to blame Boris as he was 3 years away from being the London Mayor by the time the games bid was won! I'm still waiting to see if the cost per Londoner is the same as the 'price of a 'walnut whip' as Ken Livingstone so proudly announced. I thought at the time he's probably talking about the world's most expensive walnut whip.

My only hope for the 2012 Olympics is that we as the host nation can manage to get through it without any form of logistical, organisational or political lash up.

"Spread over all the population in London, wasn't the cost something like a pint of beer once a week?"

I didn't realise it was so expensive - that's about £12 a month, or £144 a year per person!!

Glad I don't live in London.
-------------------------------------------------------
I had a check, it was even less. It was estimated at 38p a week. Let's say that was hopelessly out and it's 50p a week. It's still peanuts when most people spend 20-30+ quid going out and over-boozing.

And at the end you get some infrastructure out of it! I wonder how our society would ever build something like the pyramids ever again? I can imagine the wingers (spelling?) complaining about the cost already!

33. At 08:28am on 27 Jul 2010, thedukeofhunslet wrote:
I know people are worried about the money...but tell me a country that hosted the games that didn't benefit from it in the long term?
Greece?

My hope for London 2012 is that one day I'll wake up and realise this was all just a bad dream, and that Paris actually won.

No, why did we ever get involved. Because it is a chance for demented architects to build those structres they imagined while smoking pot, and for members of the old boys club to pocket a few bob for having their photo taken. For joe public, we are just waiting for the stadia, built with the aid of sky hooks, to collapse.

42. Togodubnus wrote:

Or are they [Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales] more worried about the potential humiliation of none of them having players selected for a British [football] team.


Whose to say there would be any English players in the side? It is, after all, an U23 side and your mega-stars which are carried by their illustrious foreign team-mates at their club sides won't be selectable.

Of course, given the failure of England's iron pyrites generation at this year's World Cup, that's not necesarily a bad thing.

Anyway, if the foot was on the other foot and all the best players were say Scottish or Welsh, you can bet your bottom dollar that you wouldn't get a completely Scottish or Welsh side.

Somehow I doubt England's football-supporting fans would have been prepared to cheer on an all-blue side where the majority of the fans would be singing Flower of Scotland.

I'm hoping that a lot of people will stop moaning and realise what a great thing The Olympics is.

But there's more chance of me winning the 100m against Usain Bolt than that happening.

I think the overall Olympic project is a waste of money. Although I do not object to a number of young people having their moment of glory. Good luck to them all.

As for my hopes: I pray that it will not be scarred by any terrorist outrage, which has happened in the past. I am worried that intelligence from Smiley's people will be innacurate and that certain people whose cultural beliefs are over protected by the PC crowd and the BBC are already here planning something terrible.

73. At 09:38am on 27 Jul 2010, Out for Lunch wrote:
62. At 09:03am on 27 Jul 2010, thelevellers wrote:

"Just look at the events, rowing, horse riding, fencing, swimming and hockey. They are sports played by white upper class toffs. What is inclusive about that."


I have to say, this is one of the most ignorant comments I have seen here. Anyone can go swimming, play hockey, join a fencing or rowing club, or learn to ride horses.

I wasn't aware that track and field events have been excluded from the Olympics? Last time I looked, there were people of all colours and nationalities participating in them, and many doing considerably better than your "white upper class toffs"?


..........................................................

Its not "white upper class toffs" but it is middle class sports its rubbish to say anyone can play tennis,hockey, fencing or rowing if some kid from a run down estate turned up at a athletic club or tennis club they would not be let past the main gate. the only working class people and young people off the run down estates in London at the olympics will be selling hot dogs.

I can't wait. London and the rest of the country needs this to show we are still an influential member of the global community.

If done right, the benefits gained from increased tourism will be felt for decades (something which may be hard to measure).

Bring it on! Let's show the world what an incredible city London is, and what a fantastic country we live in.

This is no longer news. We've had the games driven down our throats for the past few years already with another two to go. Personally I'm sick of the whole thing.
The money being spent is shameful, it's grotesquely over budget, over funded and uninteresting. With our country (and the world in general) in such a mess, the best thing to offer globally would be an amnesty on events like this. Hold off for a few years until we can afford the facilities. Hire former olympic stadiums or use the facilities we have throughout the country already. Surely it would be cheaper to transport the athletes and supporters around the UK for a few days than to spend billions on a new swimming pool and playing field.
There is no shame in being broke, admitting it, then fixing it.