THREE years ago London held a huge party. From July 27th to September 9th 2012 the Olympic and then the Paralympic games took place in a brand new park in the East End. Despite the fears of many sceptics—including this newspaper—the transport system did not collapse under the influx of spectators. Even the weather was unusually bright. The events, boasted David Cameron, the prime minister, “demonstrated that you should never ever count Team GB down and out”.
Compared with previous Olympic games in Athens and Montreal, where budgets overran wildly and stadiums were left to fester afterwards, the events in London were a success. Although the final budget, at £9.3 billion ($14.5 billion), was more than double the original bid, the building works were finished on time and just about within the revised budget. But aside from being a tremendous spectacle—the opening and closing ceremonies included J.K. Rowling, The Who and hundreds of dancing nurses—the Olympics were meant to boost sport and to transform part of London.
The first aim has not been achieved: according to Sport England, a quango, the number of Britons exerting...Continue reading
via Brian Rushton, Going for bronze
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