A legacy of Olympic proportions?

Since the decision was announced in 2005 that London would be the successful candidate to host the 2012 Olympic Games (that’s the Games of the XXX Olympiad to any purists out there), a casual observer will have noticed a steady stream of negative press surrounding the Games. Issues of budget miscalculations on a grand scale, of the legacy that the Games will leave, if British athletes will actually compete for medals, and even the issue of a ‘Mega Mosque’ on a nearby site have all done the rounds. This is to say nothing of the epilepsy-inducing 2012 logo…

Such coverage could even raise the question – were we right to get excited in the first place? Perhaps the money could’ve been spent on something more necessary such as effective training for Junior Officials at HM Revenue and Customs in the do’s and don’ts of posting sensitive data. Are any sporting events in this country merely a distraction while the English football team continue their never-ending rebuilding project?

Such doubts should never be allowed to dominate or over-rule the notion that the Olympic Games are themselves an inspirational institution. Anyone who has ever been to a sporting event can attest to the awe and excitement that can be stirred while a spectator. Similarly, a visit to the IOC Museum in Lausanne can stir a similarly passionate response. Such a motivational force and its potential must not be wasted by Seb Coe and company.

The effect that the 2012 Games could have on British children of all ages, and the sporting aspiration it could instil, would be enormously beneficial for British society as a whole. While increasing the hours the children spend exercising at school is one thing, increasing the hours they actually want to spend exercising is the key. Healthy kids, goes the logic, are happier kids. Consequently, the 2012 Games may indeed leave a legacy of Olympic proportions.