The Olympics Torch Rally

The torch relay at the beginning of the Olympics was actually a Nazi idea.

— Big Foot (@Kinda_Squatchy) September 16, 2015

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HMRC Guidance For Selling Olympic Torches

Given that the forthcoming Olympics are about making money, rather than sport, HMRC has very wisely issued some guidance to those people who are thinking of selling their Olympic torches.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Naked Flame Brought On Plane

David Beckham, the former England captain and part time underwear salesman, together with Princess Anne will receive the Olympic flame in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens tomorrow.

The princess, Beckham and a delegation including Sebastian Coe, will return to the UK with the flame on a special BA2012.

How is that ordinary passengers are not allowed to bring lighters onto planes, but these guys can bring a naked flame?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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CRB Checks on Torchbearers

The Home Office will be carrying out a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on all Olympic torchbearers for next year's 2012 London Olympics.

However, according to Locog, previous convictions may not stop them from carrying the torch; Locog will make a "judgement call".

I assume those previously convicted of arson will be disqualified from carrying the torch?


Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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No Escape

Seemingly there will be no escape from next year's Olympics.

As a foretaste of the wall to wall coverage during the games, the BBC intends to cover every mile of the 70 mile torch relay, live.

The Olympic torch's journey around Britain starts on May 19, and ends at the Olympic Stadium in London on July 27.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Ooh The Irony!

I am gemused to read that, despite the attempts by the authorities in London to clear the streets of the homeless in time for next year's Olympic Games, some people still understand the concept of "inclusivity".

Therefore my compliments to the thousands of fans have joined an online campaign to get a elderly tramp from Bournemouth to carry the Olympic torch.

The Mail reports that Gordon Roberts, 82, has got the support of 4,500 people who plan to nominate him as their 'inspirational member of the community'.

The question is, will he be allowed to carry the torch in London?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Golden Cheesegrater

Congratulations to London 2012 organisers, who have unveiled the Golden Olympic torch that will be used to carry the Olympic flame around Britain next year in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

Aside from the fact that (as it is studded with holes) it looks like a giant cheese grater, it also apparently fails wrt its green credentials.

Seemingly organisers had led people to believe that the torch would be the first low carbon one.

Guess what?

They reneged on their promise, it isn't!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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IOC Scraps International Torch Relays

Following the shambolic 2008 Olympics international torch relay, which was dogged by security issues, protesters and criticism, the IOC has banned it for future games.

The London 2012 Olympics will see a torch relay, but one that will never leave the British Isles.

In theory the 2012 British torch relay will use a route that will ensure that 95% of the UK's population will be no more than an hour away from seeing it at some point during it's journey....the UK's failing/overburdened transport infrastructure and security measures permitting that is!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Security

At least 94,000 security staff will be on duty at the Beijing Olympics this August. In contrast to this, there will be 10,500 athletes.

The operation will be led by the paramilitary police, members of which are currently accompanying the Olympic torch on its world tour.

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The Olympics Torch Relay 2012

The chaos that is following the Beijing Olympic torch relay around the world, is causing British Olympic organisers to have cold feet about staging a similar event for the London 2012 Games.

Given that the British are not 100% popular in certain parts of the globe, and that the British government is spin obsessed, organisers are thinking of organising a torch relay "lite" which only takes place in the UK.

London 2012 deputy chairman Keith Mills, said:

"It is too early to say.

We are committed to a relay domestically and it will definitely go around the regions.

But it (going internationally) has not been ruled out or ruled in. It is something we will have to discuss with the International Olympic Committee."

Tessa Jowell said:

"No decision has been made.

This is something that will be the subject of very careful consideration over the next four years. We do not have to make a decision until after the dust has settled over Beijing. Our aim is to host the best games ever."

Their indecision and dithering over the torch relay gives some flavour of the "qulaity" of the people organising the 2012 Games.

Little wonder that the budget is out of control!

Springtime in Paris

The Olympics torch came a cropper in Paris yesterday, despite heavy police and Chinese protection for the torch, the relay was abandoned in the face of some very assertive protests.

Whether the cost in terms of lousy pr and wasted man hours in protecting the torch, on its round the world relay, is worth it is open to question.

The Olympics Torch

The Olympics torch managed to pass through London yesterday without being stolen, as some protesters tried to do.

There were scuffles and protests along the route, and 35 people were arrested; at some stages, the protection around the flame was three deep, making it almost impossible for the crowd to see it.

After a change of route, the Chinese ambassador was able to carry it unmolested through China town.

The cost of protecting the flame yesterday is estimated to be around £1M.

Money well spent?

The Olympic Torch

The Olympic torch for the 2008 Beijing Games arrives in London today, not via Terminal 5 Heathrow.

It is expected to receive an lively welcome.

The Olympic Torch

The Beijing Olympic torch is due to arrive in London in the coming days, as part of its world tour.

The original plan had been for it to arrive and be "welcomed" at London's "prestigious", "well functioning" new Terminal 5 at Heathrow.

However, given the ongoing fiasco at Heathrow, the torch will now arrive elsewhere in the airport.

This bodes ill for the 2012 London Games.

If we cannot even welcome a torch properly, how on earth do we welcome the thousands of Olympic tourists?

Torch Trouble

It looks as though there will be trouble as the Olympic torch is carried around the world, in the run up to the Beijing Olympics this August.

Anti China protesters evaded tight security and managed to disrupt yesterday's Olympic torch ceremony, this guarantees that the flame's procession through London in a fortnight's time will be disrupted.

Tenzin Dorjee, a Tibetan activist who was briefly detained during the protest, said:

"Later we will do protests in London and Paris."

Scotland Yard will allocate 2,000 officers and staff, including river, airborne and mounted police, to protect the Olympic flame's journey from Wembley Stadium to Greenwich on April 6.

Human rights activists, supporters of an independent Tibet and critics of China's support for Darfur and Burma are preparing demonstrations along the 31 mile route.

Are the Olympics really worth all this trouble?

Green Flame

The Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics will burn green, like an emerald. To be less poetic, the organisers want a carbon neutral flame that is fuelled by environmentally products such as tree cuttings.

Wants and desires of course do not necessarily match reality. This is all but a pipe dream if scientists cannot find a way to make the green flame burn as brightly as a normal flame.

The London Organising Committee and EDF Energy have begun to search for a suitable biofuel for the flame.

David Stubbs, the London Organising Committee's Head of Sustainability, said:

"The Olympic flame is potentially quite an energy consumer. We are looking at alternative fuels to help reduce the impact of that flame. It is early days yet. We do not know what fuel to use."

Gareth Wynn, of EDF Energy, said:

"We are looking for something that has the right look and feel. There is a balance to be struck because a really clean flame can be difficult to see. We have to find a balance so that it provides the right fuel but can be seen.

I cannot tell you yet what the solution is going to be and what the gas is but we are going to find it. We have made a commitment to find it. The flame is such an iconic image that we have to get it right."

Let us trust that the money, effort and experiments that are used in the search are not more energy/environmentally wasteful than that of just opting to use the conventional flame.

Carbon Neutral Flame

The Telegraph reports that organisers of the London 2012 Olympics are exploring ways of developing a more carbon neutral Olympic flame for the duration of the games.

A spokeswoman for London 2012 said:

"We want London 2012 to be a truly sustainable Games. Using a low-carbon fuel to light the Olympic flame and keep it burning throughout the Games is one of the many things we are looking at right now to deliver a 'green games'".

I have a suspicion that they will end up wasting more resources on their search for carbon neutrality than they will save.

The organisers would be wise to recall the story of the "Million Dollar Biro".

Fire Threatens Birthplace of Olympics

The fires that are raging in Greece, and which have killed approximately 60 people, are threatening the birthplace of the Olympics.

Olympia, the site holding the ruins of the stadium and pagan temples that hosted the Olympics for centuries from 776BC and the site of the Olympic flame ceremony every two years, was licked by flames.

The fire destroyed trees and shrubs, and scorched the new archaeological museum. Firemen struggled to bring the fire under control as a national priority.

Torchbearer Recruitment Drive

Beijing has launched a massive recruitment drive to hire over 21,000 Olympic torchbearers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The organising committee (BOCOG) plans to have 21,880 torch bearers, both home and abroad, for the 137,000km torch relay route.

Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice president of BOCOG, said:

"There are two ways of becoming a torch bearer.

The first one is through recommendations by various organisations and institutions. Another way is an open process in which public recommendations are accepted.

In a few days, the public will know how to relay as respective organisations and institutions will announce their own application process. But none of them are allowed to add additional requirements to the existing ones."

BOCOG has set no limits on gender, career, nationality or health. Seemingly non Chinese nationals can account for up to 5% of the torch bearers on the Chinese mainland, which will have 19,400 in total.

The deadline for submitting applications is October 31st, BOCOG will make the final confirmation before December 30th.

The Beijing Olympics flame will be lit in March 2008, in Greece before starting its 130 day journey.