Pathetic!

The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics (currently budgeted to cost us £12BN - including £2BN running costs) had promised to create a "skills legacy".

So, with two years to go, how is this "skills legacy" doing?

The Evening Standard reports that the London Olympics has created only nine qualified tradesmen and women to date.

Pathetic!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Piss and Wind

As with all plans of mice, men and the ODA things do rather tend to fall apart when confronted with reality.

Such fate befell the grandiose plans of the ODA to construct a 120M wind turbine at the North end of the Olympic park, which was meant to supply 20% of the Olympic park's energy during the games.

David Higgins, CEO of the Olympic Delivery Authority, confessed to defeat the other day stating that the scheme was "no longer feasible".

Seemingly new health and safety measures had meant the original design was no longer viable, and the preferred bidder had pulled out.

No other contractors had come forward.

Another Olympic dream bites the dust!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Money Well Spent

Despite the Olympics "budget" running out of control (currently standing at £12BN including £2BN running costs), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has paid Pringle Brandon £5K per annum (for the last 4years) for advice on how to divide up open-plan workspaces, and where it would be best to put desks.

Great!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Anti Doping Line Opened

The UK will launch of a confidential 24-hour hotline that will encourage anonymous callers (athletes, coaches, support staff, parents and friends etc) to provide tip-offs about those they think might be cheats, or supply and traffic in performance-enhancing substances during the Olympics.

All very well, maybe.

However, I guarantee that this will be abused.

What better way to put an athlete off his/her game by having them investigated for drugs the day before an event?

Who would want to do that?

Fellow competitors, bloody minded individuals, people with money bet on the event.

The list is endless.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Countries Tout Tickets

In a rather amusing development, the IOC has all but accused four (albeit unnamed) countries of touting tickets for the recent Vancouver Winter games.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) receive a quota of tickets that they can sell to the public in their home country. However, some NOCs have been in the habit of passing the tickets on to touts for profit.

Gilbert Felli, an IOC director, has stated that four countries would be punished (they will receive a reduced ticket allocation for the London games) for the way in which the sales of their Vancouver allocation were handled.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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A Poor Investment

The Telegraph quotes Professor Mike Weed, of Canterbury Christ Church University, as saying that the London Olympics "is a poor investment made by the treasury on our behalf".

As a study, published in the British Medical Journal, reveals that there is precious little benefit in terms of a health or financial legacy from hosting the Olympics.

No surprises there then!

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Costs Rise

Despite promises of a £27M cut in the £12BN (including £2BN running costs) Olympics "budget", USA Today reports that costs for the London 2012 games have in fact risen:

"In its latest quarterly report on the Olympic budget, the government cites a $7.2 million (approx £4.5M) increase in the projected cost. The potential increase is forecast in transportation and infrastructure."

Budgetary control does not seem to be the Olympics organisers strongest point.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

Stratford "International"

The Guardian reports that hopes that the new Stratford International station will run international trains during the London 2012 Olympics have been dashed.

"According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, train operator Eurostar has told the Government it will not run services from the station during the games.

While other international train operators are in talks to use Stratford, this will not be until after 2012."

Quite what the point will be of international visitors stopping at Stratford after the games will be rather eludes me.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"