Athens 1896-London 2012 - Olympic Surprises

 

Australia & Oceania
Did you know... From 1960 to 1971, Ron Clarke (Australia) set 19 world records in the 5000m, 10,000m and other long-distance races. Unfortunately, Ron has never won an Olympic gold medal. In the mid-1960s, he said, "The effort is not continuous as it has to be in a race. By running fast lap times and then allowing himself time to recover, an athlete is deceiving himself as to his fitness". He is author of two books: "The Unforgiving Minute" (1966) and "The Lonely Breed" (1967).
The United States of America
Did you know... The state of Hawaii has won ten gold medals at the Summer Olympics(1896-2008). It has more Olympic gold medals than Thailand, Venezuela, and Lithuania. The Olympic champions are: Tommy Kono ( weightlifting/ two golds,1952 & 1956), Warren Kealoha (swimming/two golds,1920 & 1924 ), Duke Paoa Kahanamouku (aquatics/ three golds, 1912 & 1920), Bryan Ezra Tsumoru Clay (track & field/ one gold medal, 2008), Buster Crabbe (swimming/ one gold medal, 1932), Herman Ronald Frazier (athletics/ one gold medal, 1976).
At the Winter Olympic Games in New York in 1980, the United States men's ice hockey team won the gold medal. During the final match, the U.S. team scored a major upset over the Soviet Union (or USSR), which had won the gold medal in Austria '64, France '68, Japan '72 and Austria'76.
American boxer Muhammad Ali -formerly known as Cassius Clay- failed in the Pan American Games trials in 1959, but he won the gold medal in the light heavyweight (81kg/178 lbs) category at the Games of the XVII Olympiad in Italy in 1960.
South America
Did you know... The Uruguayan men's basketball team qualified to represent the Western Hemisphere in the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1984. A year ago, Uruguay did not compete at the Pan American Games in Venezuela.
At the 1976 Montreal Games, Brazil won only two bronze medals. Joao Carlos de Oliveira, a world-class sportsman, could not win the gold medal in the triple jump. The South American men's soccer team finished 4th place-Brazil won the FIFA World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Venezuela's Rafael Vidal -who spent several years as a student in the United States and was graduated from Florida University- earned the bronze medal in the men's 200m butterfly at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, California.
Europe
Did you know... Kosovo -it is the youngest country on earth- will compete in London 2008. For political reasons, Kosovo could not participate in the 2008 Olympic Games in China. This new nation could participate in at least ten sports: athletics, boxing, Kayak/canoeing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling...
The British basketball teams have qualified for the London 2012. Since 1952, the United Kingdom has never played in the Olympic Games, European tournaments, world championships.The British men's basketball team finished 20th place at the London Summer Olympic Games in 1948.
In Athens 1896, Paul Neumann became the first swimmer from Austria to win a gold medal.
Three Swiss sportswomen participated in the Olympic Games in 1924. It was the first time Switzerland sent sportswomen to the Summer Olympics...
At the 1896 Olympic Games, Greece -host country- won 10 gold medals and took second place in the unofficial team championships.
Central America
Did you know... Guatemala -an anti-Communist state in the 20th century- did not decline to send an Olympic team to the Olympic Games in the USSR (currently Russia) in 1980. Honduras, Belize and El Salvador -the other anti-Communist nations in Central America- boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics...
North America
Did you know... During the 1904 Olympic Games, the Canadian men's soccer team won the global title. The Olympic winners were: Ernest Linton, John Gourley, Albert Johnston, Thomas Taylor, Alexander Hall, William Twaits, Georges Ducker, Robert Lane, John Fraser, Frederick Steep, Gordon McDonald, Albert Henderson.
Caribbean
Did you know... At the Summer Olympic Games in 1904 in Missouri(USA), Cuba finished third in the unofficial team standings, behind the United States and Germany. Ramón Fonst earned three gold medals in fencing events.
In 1975, Hasely Crawford -a sprinter from Trinidad & Tobago- earned silver in the 100m at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. Nine months, at the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal (Canada), Hasely won the 100m event.
Africa
Did you know... Cameroon -a tropical country on the African continent- sent one competitor to the Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Isaac Menyoli said, "Everything is wonderful. It's like being in a fantasy. I'm happy to represent my country".
In Athens 2004, Kirsty Coventry, a practically unknown swimmer from Zimbabwe, won the gold medal in the women's 200m backstroke. Curiously, she is an American-educated athlete.
Women's 200m backstroke final:
1.Coventry, Kirsty ( Zimbabwe ) gold medal
2.Hoelzer, Margaret ( USA ) silver medal
3.Nakamura, Rieko ( Japan ) bronze medal
4.Zueva, Anastasia ( Russia )
5.Beisel, Elisabeth ( USA )
6.Simmonds, Elizabeth ( United Kingdom )
7.Nay, Meagen ( Australia )
8.Hocking, Belinda ( Australia )

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra . He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World`s poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "

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Fun Facts About Olympic Games

 

DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Afghanistan sent 5 athletes to the 1988 Olympic Games, which were held in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea...Afghanistan is one of the ten poorest countries in the world.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The People´s Republic of China has won a gold medal in women´s volleyball two times at the Olympic Games:Los Angeles (1984) and Athens(2004).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Between September 15 and October 1, 2000, the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, delegation participated in the Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia, winning 8 gold, 10 silver, and 10 bronze medals. Overall the Republic of Korea team ranked eighth, after the United States, Russia, China, Australia, Germany, France...
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Ahmed Salah was one of the most famous runners in the 1980s. He was born in Djibouti, a small country in Africa. Ahmed Salah won the bronze medal in the marathon at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The XXVI Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), with 197 nations participating. Brazil sent 195 athletes to the Games. They returned to Rio de Janeiro with three gold, three silver, and nine bronze medals.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
India is the world´s second most populous country. However,India only won 1 bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Atlanta (USA).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Saudi Arabia sent 9 athletes to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Ghana won the bronze medal in soccer at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Pakistan won two gold medals in filed hockey in the Olympic Games history: Rome(1960) and Mexico City(1968).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The people´s Republic of China sent 219 athletes to the 1984 Summer Olympics. In the end, China won 15 gold medals and 32 medals overall.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The soccer, or football, is the national sport in Brazil.It won two silver medals in soccer in the Olympic Games: Los Angeles(1984)and Seoul(1988).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The 1984 Olympic Games were not boycotted by 12 socialist nations, including Benin, Congo, China, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Romania, Yugoslavia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Nicaragua sent 25 athletes to the XXIII Summer Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles, California (USA).The Nicaraguan delegation had athletes competing in three areas:baseball (20),boxing (3),and weighlifting (2).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Peru competed at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada.Peru was represented by thirteen sportswomen in Canada.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Panama sent 7 athletes to the 1972 Olympic Games, which were held in Munich,West Germany (currently Germany). The Panamanian delegation had athletes competing in four areas:track and field (1), boxing (2), wrestling (2),and weighlifting(1).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Argentina has competed in the Olympic Games 21 times and won a total of 15 gold medals.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Chile won the bronze medal in football in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney,Australia.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Uruguay has won a bronze medal in men´s basketball two times at the Olympic Games:Helsinki(1952) and Melbourne(1956).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Taiwan won the silver medal in baseball in the 1992 Olympic Games in Spain.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Nigeria sent 33 athletes to the 1984 Olympic Games. Nigeria finished 33rd position in the final medal rankings, with 2 medals overall

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry.He´ve studied political science and journalism.He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso".He is an expert on foreign affairs. Futhermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist".Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul).His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.

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interesting Facts About Olympic Athletes

 

DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The 27th Olympiad was held in Sydney, Australia... American sprinter Marion Jones became the first woman to win 5 track and field medals in a single Olympic Games. She was born in Belize, a small country in Central American.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The XVI Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA)... Jefferson Perez became the first athlete from Ecuador to win a gold medal. Perez was given a hero´s welcome when he returned to his country.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Peru won the silver medal in women´s volleyball in the XXIII Summer Olympic Games in South Korea. The silver medal for Peru was the second ever won by that country in Olympic competition.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The 26th Olympiad was held in Atlanta... Venuste Niyongabo became the first runner from Burundi to win a gold medal. Burundi is one of the most poorest countries in Africa.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
One of the most famous athletes in South African history is Josia Thugwane. He won the gold medal in the marathon at the Atlanta Olympics. Josia became South Africa´s first black gold medalist.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Costa Rica has had great sportswomen in the Olympic Games: Claudia Poll Arenhs (swimmer, won Olympic gold medal in 200m freestyle, 1996) and Sylvia Poll Arenhs (swimmer, won Olympic silver medal in 200m freestyle, 1988).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Frankie Fredericks was the first sprinter from Namibia to win four Olympic medals (Barcelona´92 and Atlanta´96 ).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
John Akii-Bua is the only Ugandan athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He won the 400m hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Edwin Vasquez Cam became the first Peruvian athlete to win an Olympic medal in shooting. He was Olympic champion in 1948.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Lloyd Labeach is the only Panamanian sprinter to win two Olympic medals. In 1948 he won two bronze medals at the London Olympics (100 and 200 meters).
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The XXI Summer Olympic Games were held in Montreal, Canada... Hasely Crawford became the first athlete from Trinidad & Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Anthony Conrad Nesty is the only Afro-Caribbean to win an Olympic gold medal in the swimming competition at the Olympic Games. He won the 100m butterfly at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He is a hero in Suriname, a beautiful country in South America.

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer.Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He's studied political science and journalism. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, Olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Furthermore, Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latina America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). His favorite film is "Gorillas in the Mist".Some of his favorite books are “The Return of Eva Peron and the Killings in Trinidad” (by V.S.Naipaul), "Las Mujeres de los Dictadores" (by Juan Gasparini) and “Murder of a Gentle Land” (by John Barron and Anthony Paul).His personal motto is "The future is for those people who believe in the beauty o f their dreams" by Eleanor Roosevelt.

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15 Amazing Olympic Facts

 

1. Matt Biondi (swimming /aquatics) won 5 Olympic titles at the 24th Olympic Games (50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle relay, 800-meter freestyle relay, 400 meter medley relay).
2. Ulla Werbrouck won a gold medal in the half heavyweight division -Belgium´s first judo medal- at the 1996 Summer Games in Georgia (USA). In the final, she defeated Japan´s Yoko Tanabe.
 
3. American Jackie Joyner-Kersee won consecutive Olympic heptathlon gold medals in 1988 (South Korea) and 1992 (Spain).
 
4. Mark McCoy  placed 7th in the men's 110m hurdles at the 1988 Games in South Korea. Four years later, he won an Olympic  gold medal for Canada in the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. In the 80s and 90s, Mark, who was born in Guyana -an ex British colony in South America- represented both Canada and Austria.
 
5. Judo is one of the most popular Olympic sports in Japan. At the 1996 Olympics in the United States, more than half of Japan´s medals came in judo.
 
6. Havana (Cuba) was an Olympic candidate to host the 1924 Olympic Games.
 
7. American athlete Sanya Richards, who won three Olympic medals,  was born and grew up in Kingston (Jamaica). Like her countrywoman Sandra Farmer-Patrick (400m hurdles / track & field), she became an American citizen in 2002. Under the flag of the United States, she won the silver medal in the women's 400m at the 2005 World Championships in Finland.
 
8. Olympic weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan became the second Vietnamese athlete in the history of the Olympic Games to win an Olympic medal.
 
9. Unlike many African nations, Cote d'Ivoire did not boycott the 1976 Olympic Games. Cote d'Ivoire -also known as Ivory Coast- competed in 10 Olympics. This African nation -it is about the size of Maine, South Dakota and Vermont combined- won a silver medal (athletics / men's 400m) at the 1984 Olympic Games in the United States.
 
10. The Maldives Islands  sent seven sportspeople to Korea. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Ismail Asif place 95th in the men's 100m (11,49 seconds).
 
11. Adhemar Ferreira da Silva (triple jump) became the first black South American to win an Olympic gold medal. Adhemar, who was born in Brazil, won two gold medals at both the 1952 and 1956 Olympics.
 
12. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt (Jamaica) became the third sprinter in the history of the Olympic Games to sweep the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay.
 
13.  Irving Jahir Saladino Aranda (track & field/ Panama) is the second Olympic winner to come from a Central American nation.Saladino won the Olympic long jump in 2008.
 
14. American Dick Fosbury, who developed the "Fosbury flop",  won the gold medal in the high jump at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. During an interview with Roslyn Morris (journalist), Dick said,"Olympians earn respect by honest achievement, not from achievement by any means. Dishonest actions do the opposite and merit disdain.Whatever a proven cheat has gained by cheating does not rightfully belong to them and should be taken away. The Olympic Games reflect the highest values of our spirit and speak to the culture of every era..."
 
15. Currently the best runners in the world are Africans.
Track and field at the 2008 Olympics / results
Men
800m: 1.Wilfred Bungei (Kenya), 2.Ismail Ahmed Ismail (Sudan)
1500m: 1. Rashid Ramzi (Bahrein / he was born in Morocco)
3000m steeplechase: 1.Brimin Kiprop Kipruto (Kenya)
5000m : 1. Kenisa Bekele (Ethiopia), 2.Eliud Kigchoge (Kenya)
10000m: 1. Kenisa Bekele (Ethiopia), 2.Sileshi Sihine (Ethiopia)
Marathon: 1.Samuel Wanjiru (Kenya), 2. Jaguad Gharid (Morocco)
Women
800m: 1.Pamela Jelimo (Kenya)
1500m: 1. Nancy Jebet Lagat (Kenya)
5000m: 1.Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia)
10000m: 1. Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia)

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: He is a freelance writer. Alejandro is of Italian, African and Peruvian ancestry. He has published more than seventy-five research paper in English, and more than twenty in Spanish, concerning the world issues, Olympic sports, countries, and tourism. His next essay is called "The Dictator and Alicia Alonso". He is an expert on foreign affairs. Alejandro is the first author who has published a world-book encyclopedia in Latin America.
He admires Frida Kahlo (Mexican painter), José Gamarra (former president of the Bolivian Olympic Committee ,1970- 1982), Hillary Clinton (ex-First Lady of the USA), and Jimmy Carter (former President of the USA). Alejandro said: "The person who I admire the most is José Gamarra. He devoted his professional and personal life to sport. José played an important role in the promotion of Olympism in Bolivia -it is one of the Third World's poorest countries- and Latin America. His biography is interesting". The sportspeople he most admire is Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman. "This African-American sportswoman is my idol... "

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London Olympics Accommodation

 

A Win-Win Solution
For those of you visiting the London Olympics and Paralympics, in 2012, and looking for somewhere convenient to stay, the county of Essex certainly ticks all the right boxes.
The Savvy Alternative
Let's face it, all types of accommodation are likely to be in very short supply (and expensive!) in the whole of the London area during the Olympics and Paralympics.
So, the county of Essex is the obvious alternative area to stay. For a start, being so close to East London, Essex makes an ideal base for visiting the Games. What's more, it offers a wide variety of value-for-money, quality accommodation in locations that are surprisingly convenient for visiting all the various Olympic and Paralympic events.
Benefits of Being Essex Based
Visitors to the London Olympics would do well to consider the many benefits of basing themselves in Essex for the duration of the Games. Plus points include: reasonable proximity to event venues (the mounting biking events are actually being held in Essex - so how much more convenient does it get!); excellent transport links (see information below); not to mention the wide selection of different types of accommodation, with something to suit all tastes and budgets; great places to eat and drink, etc., etc.
Bed & Breakfast
B&B accommodation is widely available in a variety of locations throughout the county of Essex. Everything can be found from traditional seaside B&Bs in Southend and Clacton to farmhouse B&Bs in the Essex countryside, not forgetting B&Bs conveniently located for access to the M25 and the Essex stations of the London Underground network.
Essex Guest Houses
Modern guest houses offer excellent facilities at moderate prices and the county of Essex boasts some of the best. A good example is The Terrace Guest House in Southend on Sea which is convenient for the Olympic mountain biking events at Hadleigh Farm as well as offering access to a fast rail connection to all the Olympic venues in London.
Hotels and Inns
Essex has a wide choice of hotels and inns which are ideal for visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics. Everything from exclusive country house hotels and traditional inns which combine character with comfort to modern hotels with all the necessary facilities can be found in the county of Essex.
Holiday Parks
Why not combine your trip to the London Olympics with a seaside holiday? Holiday caravan parks like Cosway Holiday Home Park in East Mersea near Colchester and Homestead Lake Park near Clacton offer the best of both worlds, combining value for money accommodation with easy access to transport links to the Olympic venues in London.
Camp Sites
Camp sites are located throughout Essex. Places to camp that are convenient for Olympic and Paralympic spectators include Billericay, Braintree, Loughton, Maldon and Romford. Even more camping options are available for people willing to look slightly further afield.
Olympic and Paralympic Venues
The Olympic Stadium and several other venues including the Aquatics Centre (for swimming, diving and water polo) and the Velopark (indoor velodrome and outdoor BMX track) are located in East London at the new 500 acre (2 sq km) Olympic Park in Stratford and the lower Lea Valley. More Olympic and Paralympic venues are to be found in other parts of the capital and beyond. In fact, Essex will be hosting the Olympic mountain biking at Hadleigh Farm, between Basildon and Southend on Sea.
Rail Links to Olympic Park
During the Games, more than 80 percent of visitors to the Olympic Park are expected to travel by train, either to Stratford Regional station or to Stratford International station, both of which are located within the Olympic Park.
Train services from all parts of Essex to Stratford Regional station are available for travellers to the Olympic Park. Trains from Stansted Airport, Braintree, Clacton, Southend, Ilford, Romford, Brentwood, Shenfield, Chelmsford and Colchester will transport passengers to the heart of the Olympic action. In addition, London Underground services from the Essex towns of Epping, Hainault and Woodford also go to Stratford Regional station.
Air Links to Olympic Park
Essex offers a choice of two airports for visitors to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Stansted Airport is Britain's third busiest airport, with flights to and from more than 160 destinations worldwide. Southend Airport offers a range of charter air services and air taxis. It also offers helicopter services to and from London Heliport and Canary Wharf and is likely to be running services directly to the Olympic Park during the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.
Road Links to Olympic Park
Essex has excellent road links to the Olympic Park. The A12, A13, A118 and A124 trunk roads all connect Essex to Stratford. Stansted Airport also has good road communication with the Olympic Park via the M11 motorway and the A12.
Transport Links to Hadleigh Farm
The Olympic mountain biking events have been allocated to Hadleigh Farm in Essex, after the mountain biking venue in Kent that had been chosen originally was deemed to be 'insufficiently challenging' for Olympic competition. The Hadleigh Farm mountain biking site offers steep grassy slopes close to the ruins of Hadleigh Castle, which should provide an excellent spectacle for both cyclists and spectators alike.
Hadleigh Farm is easily accessible as the rail line between London Fenchurch Street and Southend passes close to this venue; Leigh on Sea and Benfleet stations are the nearest stations to Hadleigh Farm.
Alternatively, road access to the site is via the M25 and A13. Ample car parking is available at the Hadleigh Farm venue. In addition, a number of bus companies including Arriva Southend and First Essex run buses to the site.

Welcome to Essex - the county with a fine reputation for its hospitality and for welcoming visitors from far and wide! But, don't just take our word for it - check out your accommodation options, right here at the Essex Tourist Guide website. Whatever type of accommodation you have in mind

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What of Economic Development After The Olympic Games?

 

It is amazing the process and the competition to host the Olympic Games. It's a big deal, and a big matter of pride and nationalism for the countries competing, and especially for the country or nation which wins the bid to host the Olympic Games. There is of course more prestige in hosting the Summer Olympic Games, than the winter Olympic Games for winter sports. But make no mistake either way it's a big deal. Okay so let's talk about this for second shall we, specifically let's talk about the economics of hosting the Olympics.
To win the bid to host the great games requires a commitment to hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in preparation, new facilities, and guarantees from the hosting nation. The Olympic Committee will not choose a nation that they feel cannot perform, or will not pony up the cash, or doesn't have the political will to make it happen. That makes sense, and there are issues with security and all sorts of other things to worry about. It is an enormous undertaking for any nation, of any size, including the United States of America.
"London's Olympic Bet on Urban Renewal" was the title of a brilliant and reality based article by Cassell Bryan-Low published in the Wall Street Journal on July 21, 2012. The article had examples of Athens, Beijing, Barcelona, Sydney, and Atlanta Olympic Games, and how those areas faired afterwards, after all the fans had gone away, and the nuance of branded tourism faded. Today, in Athens, there is grass coming up through the sidewalks. "Athens, Beijing, and Sydney, all wound up with amazing sporting facilities and venues that got little or no use," after the games.
Now then, when a hosting nation wants to spend that level of money to put in those facilities and host the games they must sell it (the idea) to their population base as a worthy expenditure as it is the citizens who will foot the tax bill, because the Olympics generally does not make as much money as is spent. Therefore, regardless of the economic studies done to show that it will be a winning move for the future of an area or city, the reality is much different. When all the gold medals have been awarded, and everyone leaves, and as things return to normal, that's when the reality sets back in.
Perhaps more difficult than even hosting the games themselves is making sure that all the money spent does not go to waste in future periods, that is to say that this investment spurs on economic development in the area far off in the future; easier said than done. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Important Economic Topics. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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A Tale of Olympic Proportions

 

In AD 67, Roman Emperor Nero was declared chariot champion, and awarded the gold medal. In spite of the fact that he fell out of his chariot and never even finished the race. This began a long chain of Olympic tales and myths, creating an illusion of the Olympics that is far fetched from reality. So what are the facts about the Olympics, and is East London the true winner, or have they fallen out the chariot?
This year is the fifth anniversary of the Olympic bid, which brought promises of regeneration and upturns in the five boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Newham. Chair Lord Sebastian Coe based his pitch for the Olympics on the promise of the lasting regeneration legacy the event would leave east London. It was proposed that these areas would experience higher employment, sporting participation, training opportunities and housing conditions. It was said that the sporting events would strengthen a deprived community. Yet how does such a huge event trickle down to the local level?
According to a study done by Coalter, Allison and Taylor on the role of sports in regenerating deprived urban areas, "there is little evidence about the effects of such sports events-led economic regeneration strategies...there is a lack of available data on the regenerative impact of sports investments on local communities". In other words, major sporting events have no measurable impact on locals. Rather, huge projects strip funding away from locally managed, smaller projects. The National Lottery is contributing £2.2billion to the Olympics. Ironically, this has taken money from school sport funding, which has seen it's budget cut by 28 percent, not to mention the Grants for the Arts donations which has taken a 29.6% slash. It should be noted that Prime Minister Cameron is reassessing the cuts on sports for school after a petition from Olympic and Paralympics athletes such as diver Tom Daley, swimmer Sascha Kindred and boxer James DeGale. National Lottery cuts directly affect smaller charities and local projects all around England, as they will find it near impossible to secure funding. Sir Clive Booth, chair of the Big Lottery Fund, commented on the diversion of good cause money: "I very much regret that it has been necessary to divert a further £425m of the Big Lottery fund's good cause resources to support the 2012 Olympics infrastructure..." It is clear the government see regeneration as building large-scale projects as oppose to giving a helping hand to local communities.
If smaller projects and charities will be unable to pay their staff, at least the Olympic Delivery Authority has promised 11,000 new jobs, with a target of 10-15% of the workforce to be drawn from the five host boroughs. But surely this target sounds relatively small, considering the billions going in to the project and the labour that needs doing. Hackney MP Diane Abbot comments: "The number of people from the East End who have received jobs there remains low...it is a pitifully unambitious target. It will have no sustainability if local people see 85% to 90% of jobs going to outsiders". The Olympic Delivery Authority scheme has put only eight Hackney residents into employment, yet about 108,000 people of workable age in the Olympic boroughs are unemployed. The largest space for employment is in construction, with a potential 30,000 jobs. However hiring is directly in the hands of the sub-contractor, who will simply use the cheapest labour, and not take the initiative to hire local people or give contracts to local suppliers. In fact, a mere 77 local businesses out of 600 companies supply to the Olympics. Tenon Forum, a group of entrepreneurial advisors have reported that just 10% of the nation's entrepreneurs think the games will have a positive impact on their businesses, with 70% believing that they will lose out to big companies. 300 local businesses in Stratford were issued with compulsory purchase orders by the London Development Agency, and have now been vacated. These companies employed at least 5,000 staff. Yet these figures have not been subtracted from the calculation of job creations for the Olympics, and haven't been taken into consideration by the ODA as losses for local employment. But you won't have to worry about local unemployment if you are one of Boris Johnson's ex-lovers, as you are guaranteed a job at the Olympic Park! So that should knock down the figure quite a bit.
The removal of local businesses does not only have a negative impact on local employment, but also affects the character of the area. East London is well known for it's local shops, but they are all in quite a bit of barney rubble. The Olympics has contributed to mass gentrification of the area, with the £1b investment of Westfield stomping all over the smaller shops and engaging them in a price war of which they cannot compete - if they have even survived the compulsory purchase orders of the LDA. The development that will take place in Stratford will profoundly alter the character of the East End.
Improving the look of East London and filling the shops with the high-end brands in Westfield goes hand in hand with the promise of regenerating the East End. But at what cost? At the 1992 Barcelona, housing prices and rents increased 139 and 149 percent respectively, and the lack of affordable housing forced low-income earners out of the area. The regeneration of London will naturally see rent for tenants rise. Land and house prices will also rise after the former industrial land will be sold at development prices to cover - or attempt to profit from - the costs of the Olympics. Housing will become unaffordable for local people and offices for voluntary and community groups will be out of reach as the regeneration of the area attempts to attract more affluent residents as oppose to benefiting those already there. In a report on the Olympic Park Legacy, the London Assembly has warned that financial strain could put the Park under pressure to maximise revenue from housing. Extensive land sales to recover costs will make it much harder to deliver on promises of affordable housing. Yet the Olympic Park Legacy Committee are determined not to see a repeat of the unaffordable housing legacy that was left by the last large scale East End development, Canary Wharf. The Olympic Park land has just been transferred from the LDA to the OPLC, minus the lands £600m debt, which is a promising start.
If only time can truly measure the housing and job legacies of the Olympics, then surely we can be certain that the Olympics will bring droves of tourists to the capital, benefiting the local economy. Well, we can't. And don't call us Shirley. The national tourism agency VisitBritain has told the Telegraph that although an estimated 320,000 spectators will come from abroad to see the Olympic events, many will be put off by the higher prices of hotels and flights in peak summer season. Previous Olympic hosts have overestimated the number of tourists, most recently with Beijing anticipating over 400,000 and receiving almost half the amount. The tourists that will come will not be buying British made London 2012 merchandise, either, as about 90% of it is produced abroad - 67% in China, so perhaps Beijing has recouped it's losses there. Olympic bosses stress the tourism benefits that will come from long-term exposure, but Britain's capital is already one of the most visited cities in the world - so we have nothing to gain, but something to lose.
The toxic effect of the Olympics on tourists may translate to a far more serious a level for Londoners, as the entire site is built on radioactive wasteland. In 2008, the ODA told the Environment Agency that it had found 40 cubic metres of waste that showed radioactive readings up to three times higher than the levels at which waste is treated as exempt. Documents seen by the Guardian say waste contaminated by an isotope of thorium, a nuclear fuel which can cause cancer, was dumped on the site in east London in 1959. You most probably won't be affected, but should you come across a three-eyed squirrel or a mutated flying mouse you know whom to blame. Sadly the contamination didn't have such humorous consequences for the communities around the site, who were badly affected by the dust and waste. John Large, an independent nuclear analyst, has said to the Guardian: "The Olympic site's hurried and unplanned development may have resulted in a great deal of public harm to the local communities remaining around the site." This was treated with contempt by the authorities. When local residents complained of dust and irritation, their complaints were brushed off as "anecdotal". The local Manor Gardens allotments were still growing food crops whilst areas exposing radioactive material were left unmarked and unprotected, gambling with the health of the residents, workers and those who consume the crops.
The environment is considered to be the third pillar of Olympianism, and officials have gone out of their way to advertise 2012 as the greenest Olympics yet. But in reality, a lot of sacrifices have been made to see the Olympics go green. In 2000, a £7.8m grant for Stratford's ongoing regeneration was given from the LDA for Bully Fen community woodland to create a green legacy in the area. This has now been closed to the public, along with the nearby Manor Gardens Allotments, which marked the end of the vegetable beds and of the allotment community. 13 acres of open space at Arena Fields has also been destroyed to make way for the Media centre, destroying mature trees and therefore decimating the Olympics carbon neutral target! Last month, the London Assembly warned the Olympics could fall short of it's environmental targets, but this concern should pale in comparison to the potential explosive nature of the games: there's an unexploded Nazi bomb under the stadium! Maybe we shouldn't joke, as 2012 is deemed (doomed) to be a bit of a terrorist magnet, but with radioactive waste and bombs already on site, what's the point of wasting more money on security?
It is clear that there is a lot more goes on behind the scenes than is let on by Olympic officials. But who are these mysterious people who sit behind the scenes of the Olympics? The International Olympic Committee is a group of unelected, diplomatically immune folks who hold exclusive rights to the Olympics and preside over a billion-dollar franchise. Did we mention their tax breaks? Ever since Samaranch's presidency in 1980, the IOC has been riddled in corruption scandal. Claims of "unethical conduct" surrounding the most recent bids did not really shock us, especially since the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics where 20 out of 110 IOC members had been given goodies for their vote. Only this week Panorama has exposed IOC member Issa Hayatou has been accused of taking bribes from a sport-marketing firm who would be awarded lucrative 2018 World Cup rights. Is it about time to question the place of an organisation which is self-elected, to decide the fate of an entire city, yet entirely unaccountable for what happens? Architect David Mackay, designer of the Olympic village in Barcelona, has said of the 2012 Olympics "[they are] concentrated to the best desires of the IOC who want everything for their three-week pageant. They've gone too far, it's not for Londoners". Perhaps England losing the World Cup bid was for the best; Boris Johnson has resorted to IOC-like tactics to reprimand FIFA chiefs by withdrawing their free accommodation at The Dorchester. But whether we like it or not, London is the host for the 2012 Olympics. But perhaps, as Pierre de Coubertin says, the most important thing about the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part.

Top 5 things if you can't wait for 2012:

1. Become an ambassador for London. Forget that you are being exploited for nothing, sitting in a booth answering questions from gormless tourists and bask in the reflected Olympics glory. Click here to sign up. If you live in one of the Host Boroughs, you could also volunteer for Changing Places, which has been set up to help the local communities prepare for 2012. It sounds like they might need it.
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3. Train like an Olympian. Join up for the 2011 race and run the marathon! Sorry, the ballot's closed now. But you can still team up with a charity and run for a good cause.
4. You love the Olympics, but you know the logo is awful - an online survey on the BBC website found 80% of people gave it the lowest possible rating. Apparently, it can even cause migranes. Design a new one...
5. Take a tour of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Guided tours every day at 11 from Bromely-by-Bow Underground station. Or, save £8, avoid the tube strikes and stay out the cold. Just take a virtual tour.

Top 5 things if you don't want to wait for 2012:

1. Sign up to GamesMonitor and support those who have been negatively affected by the Olympics, from the unique bream who will no longer spawn on the banks of the river Lee to the destroyed community of Clays Lane. Seize back the agenda and make the locals the winners of the Olympic legacy. Support their fight to win back the marathon route.
2. Take a long holiday in the summer of 2012. Where's you best bet to avoid the Olympic hype? If you are an old fart who wants to avoid television and radio coverage, visit ( ).
3. Hold your own rival Olympics. Why not have a street race in Tower Hamlets that LOCOG doesn't want the world to see, starting at () and finishing
4. Start saving for taxis. Sunny officials are adamant we will squeeze 250,000 people into the tube carriages, even though we are packed like sardines during a rush hour. More down-to-earth games chiefs have told us to avoid the tube like the plague, and with mobile reception soon to be available underground, we would rather run to work than squish next to some sweaty bloke complaining to his friend about how bloody awful the tube is.
5. You know the Olympics is all about getting youth involved in sport and preventing child obesity, but you're certain most people will be slouched in front of the television watching rather than playing the games. Join the petition to stop Cameron reducing sport in schools to really get a new generation involved in sport.

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