I know that this is meant to be a blog about the automotive industry but having been away for a while, it would be remiss of me not to recognise the passing of one of the world’s greatest spectacles - the Beijing Olympic Games.
Prior to the Beijing games, the news was full of horror stories of poor air quality and slime in the sailing water let alone the human rights issues, all that threatened to derail this most important sporting occasion. However, credit where credit is due, the Chinese pulled it off without any apparent hitch. Better than that, they provided the world with a spectacular event of epic proportions. And I’m sure that the soon to opened Para-Olympics will be just as good.
And this has got me wondering about what London 2012 is going to be like.
The firework holders from Beijing’s closing ceremony had only just started cooling down when the UK government’s expectation management started. We shouldn’t expect the same extravaganza as had been witnessed in China - London 2012 is going to a far less grand affair. Not surprising as we’re expecting to pay less than half that was spent in Beijing. We also shouldn’t expect the torch to undertake a world tour. Again, not surprising as it caused so much controversy and rioting this time around. Instead, it’ll visit many of Britain’s quintessentially picture-postcard villages – how quaint!
And what will happen when the torch arrives at the new stadium, currently under construction in East London?
The patriotic part of me wants the London 2012 Olympics to be a games we can all be proud off, with UK medals galore and the regeneration of one of the most deprived parts of London thrown in for good measure.
The realist in me sees it another way.
As our chosen athlete arrives with the torch aloft ready to enter to the adulation and applause of the packed stadium, they will asked to go round the block a few more times because the stadium isn’t quite finished yet. Once they get into the stadium, the gas that powers the traditional perpetual flame will be far too scarce and too expensive, so we’ll have to settle for something a little greener, maybe a low voltage light bulb?
Once the games get under way, I can see our ludicrous Health and Safety officials taking over. “So Mr Athlete, you’ve got a javelin and you want to throw it from this line towards the crowd at the other end of the stadium? Can’t allow that I’m afraid, more than my job’s worth.”
And beach volleyball just isn’t going to work on any of the UK beaches. Have you seen the summer we’ve had? And they’d all have to be wearing ‘Kiss me quick’ hats!
I know that this sound cynical and very defeatist and I wish that I could be more positive about the outlook but you’ve only got to look at other government projects to see where I’m coming from. The Dome, need I say more.
So let’s just celebrate the success of our athletes and hopefully our papa-Olympians too, and keep our fingers crossed that with the minimum of government interference, the UK can pull off an Olympics that we too can be proud of.
