Friday, December 10, 2004
Why I'm backing the bid
The London 2012 Olympic Bid is one I'm backing 100%! I don't know about you, but I'm sick of the doom-laden whining that says London can't win, shouldn't win or shouldn't even bother for reasons that escape me.
London is a world class capital, but lets face it, by-and-large we have third-rate sporting facilities. London is a city of 7.5 million people. Yet we have just two - yes, that's two - Olympic scale swimming pools. Athletic facilities like those at Crystal Palace or White City are understandably squeezed when councils have to choose between funding schools or refurbishing a running track. Can you name a high quality velodrome in London? How can we criticise our gymnasts for failing to even qualify for the Olympics when there are no world-class gyms in London?
So for no other reason than to get the sporting facilities we all deserve and will benefit from for decades to come, the Olympic bid deserves support. But let me add four others:
First, because the Olympic bid will regenerate one of the most deprived parts of London: the Lea Valley. Regeneration is too often one of those meaningless bureaucratic words, but what it means in real life is new homes (the Olympic village will be turned into affordable housing for local people after the games end), real jobs, new bus, tube and train links and a cleaner, greener environment.
Second, because south west London will also share in the Olympic experience; one of the world-class facilities we do have on our doorstep is Wimbledon for the Olympic tennis events. And all the events taking place elsewhere in the capital will be just a ride away at a regular time, instead of having to stay up and watch on TV at some ridiculous hour of the late night.
Third, because the Olympics will transform London's public transport system - we're now on course to get CrossRail, new tubeline extensions and the Stratford rail terminal will boost services with continental Europe. Don't take my word for it: if London 2012 wins it will be because the International Olympic Committee - a bunch of people used to sorting fact from fiction - has been persuaded that their concerns about our public transport system have been addressed.
But fourth - and here's the argument that wipes all the whining, doubting, self-defeating objections off the board: the Olympics represents a fabulous ideal, an opportunity for a nation to unite in pursuit of sporting excellence, to get to witness records being re-written first-hand, to collectively celebrate our successes and mourn when we come up short and - for two weeks - to unashamedly rejoice in the most positive way Great Britain.Back the bid.
Please go to www.london2012.org and register your support.
Sadiq
London is a world class capital, but lets face it, by-and-large we have third-rate sporting facilities. London is a city of 7.5 million people. Yet we have just two - yes, that's two - Olympic scale swimming pools. Athletic facilities like those at Crystal Palace or White City are understandably squeezed when councils have to choose between funding schools or refurbishing a running track. Can you name a high quality velodrome in London? How can we criticise our gymnasts for failing to even qualify for the Olympics when there are no world-class gyms in London?
So for no other reason than to get the sporting facilities we all deserve and will benefit from for decades to come, the Olympic bid deserves support. But let me add four others:
First, because the Olympic bid will regenerate one of the most deprived parts of London: the Lea Valley. Regeneration is too often one of those meaningless bureaucratic words, but what it means in real life is new homes (the Olympic village will be turned into affordable housing for local people after the games end), real jobs, new bus, tube and train links and a cleaner, greener environment.
Second, because south west London will also share in the Olympic experience; one of the world-class facilities we do have on our doorstep is Wimbledon for the Olympic tennis events. And all the events taking place elsewhere in the capital will be just a ride away at a regular time, instead of having to stay up and watch on TV at some ridiculous hour of the late night.
Third, because the Olympics will transform London's public transport system - we're now on course to get CrossRail, new tubeline extensions and the Stratford rail terminal will boost services with continental Europe. Don't take my word for it: if London 2012 wins it will be because the International Olympic Committee - a bunch of people used to sorting fact from fiction - has been persuaded that their concerns about our public transport system have been addressed.
But fourth - and here's the argument that wipes all the whining, doubting, self-defeating objections off the board: the Olympics represents a fabulous ideal, an opportunity for a nation to unite in pursuit of sporting excellence, to get to witness records being re-written first-hand, to collectively celebrate our successes and mourn when we come up short and - for two weeks - to unashamedly rejoice in the most positive way Great Britain.Back the bid.
Please go to www.london2012.org and register your support.
Sadiq
