http://www.counterfire.org/index.php/artic...nst-london-2012

In the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics, Neil Faulkner comments on the modern games in the light of the wisdom (or lack of it) of the ancients.

 

Unite leader Len McCluskey has called for demos and direct action that target the London 2012 Olympics this summer. Good.

 

Here are ten reasons why it would be entirely justified.

 

1. The Games, along with the Diamond Jubilee, have been hijacked by the political elite as a ‘bread and circuses’ diversion from the grim realities of the Age of Austerity. They are cutting £20 billion from the NHS, £18 billion from welfare, but they can find £12 billion for the Olympics.

 

2. The Games are being used to showcase Britain ‘as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden’ (McCluskey). It isn’t. The gap between rich and poor is wider than at any time since the 1920s, and the welfare state on which most of us depend is being destroyed by cuts and privatisation. Only millionaires have anything to celebrate.

 

3. The economic and social devastation is deliberate. The business elite who will be hogging a good proportion of the 2.2 million seats not on sale to the public are directly responsible for the crash, the crisis, and the cuts. They should not be allowed to bask in the limelight as if all were well.

 

4. Most ordinary people failed to get tickets. It is estimated that half those who staked £1,000 and two-thirds of those who staked £250 got nothing. Most poor people never had a hope.

 

5. Hardly anyone living near the main stadium has got tickets. But there will be no freebies for the deprived communities of Newham. All the freebies – 2.2 million of them – are reserved for VIPs, IOC guests, and corporate sponsors.

 

6. The whole event is dominated by corporate sponsorship, corporate contracts, and corporate logos. There is no democratic control, no popular participation, no engagement with the local communities and businesses.

 

7. The corporatisation of the Games means corruption and cover-up. LOCOG is refusing to reveal how many tickets at major events are freebies. One estimate is that six in ten of the 80,000 tickets for top events like the men’s 100m final fall into this category. Meantime, corporate sponsors are doling out tickets as bonuses to staff or hospitality to clients. Global accountancy firm Deloitte is using a ‘large proportion … to reward staff achievements’. City HQs are to become ‘Olympic reception centres’ for the duration.

 

8. The Westfield Shopping Centre is a moral obscenity. The whole first floor consists of designer shops with price tags beyond the reach of more than one in a hundred local people.

 

9. Massive transport disruption is planned throughout the Games. This is so that the rich do not have to use public transport like the rest of us. Instead, freeways will be reserved through the London streets for the LOCOG fleet of 5,000 cars.

 

10. The politicians, the corporations, and the rich own the London 2012 Games – not the British people. Yet only £1.4 billion has been contributed by sponsors compared with £12 billion by the taxpayer.

 

So if the frustration and bitterness accumulating in the dark places of Austerity Britain kicks off this summer with the London 2012 Olympics as the target, Britain’s rulers will have only themselves to blame.

 

And would the ancient Greeks have said? The classical city-states were suffused with the spirit of citizen democracy. That the Games could be appropriated wholesale as a ‘showcase’ for the rich and big business would have seemed outrageous. The ancient Greeks – like their modern counterparts – would have been on the streets.

 

Dr Neil Faulkner (University of Bristol) is the author of A Visitor’s Guide to the Ancient Olympics, to be published in April 2012 by Yale University Press.

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I agree wholeheartedly with Dr Faulkner's article.. I live in London, and I am sick of this crap already and frankly, I dont know a single person who wants the games here.. It's blindingly obvious to anyone that lives here that the London transport system simply cannot cope with what is to come with the Olympics... Frankly, London Transport can barely cope with LONDON on a day-to-day basis, never mind the massive influx of millions of Olympic tourists that will descent upon the city like a biblical plague come August..

 

And it is indeed a "bread and circuses" diversion away from the real problems affecting the country, the Political elites want us all to forget these problems, and no one is going to tell me that the real reason why the Occupy protesters were cleared away wasn't because of fears of it "looking bad" to tourists..... All throughout this process, the people of London have been misled and lied to about the real consequences of all this, particularly in relation to the costs of the event, and local communities have never been properly consulted. In fact, many people around the area of the Stadium have been issued with eviction notices by landlords looking to cash-in, many local businesses have been destroyed by the monstrosity that is Westfields Stratford, and the ticket booking system was an absolute joke..

 

I have sympathies for the athletes concerned, they're victims in all this too, being forced to sign ridiculous contracts which prevent their human right to free speech. The Olympics has nothing to do with sport, it is a wholly Corporate event for these shills to make money, and all of it paid for by the tax-payer... The tax-payer benefits in no way whatsoever from these games, but these so-called "sponsors" are going to be making billions off of it.... And here was me thinking that being a "sponsor" actually meant YOU paid for the event and handed over the money and resources... Silly me, "Olympic Sponsor" clearly is defined as a Corporation or company who profits at the tax-payer's expense......

 

Frankly, I hope protesters do disrupt the games, I hope absolute and merry hell is unleashed, it would be some kind of pay-back for the disruption these "games" are going to cause millions of Londoners.....

If they really want to fuck over the games it's absolutely pointless talking to the morons of the UK. They need to go to the greedy c**ts that drive the tubes. Get them to strike and the entire city is crippled.

If they really want to fuck over the games it's absolutely pointless talking to the morons of the UK. They need to go to the greedy c**ts that drive the tubes. Get them to strike and the entire city is crippled.

 

True... Actually, what would really bugger things up is basically hundreds of protesters getting travel cards and travelling the tube system all day.... Or organising thousands of Londoners taking to the streets in "Boris Bikes" during the rush hour... Now that really would f'uck things over...... :lol:

1. The Games, along with the Diamond Jubilee, have been hijacked by the political elite as a ‘bread and circuses’ diversion from the grim realities of the Age of Austerity. They are cutting £20 billion from the NHS, £18 billion from welfare, but they can find £12 billion for the Olympics.

 

I disagree with the cuts as much as anyone but let's hold on and see if the Games actually return a profit first.

 

 

2. The Games are being used to showcase Britain ‘as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden’ (McCluskey). It isn’t. The gap between rich and poor is wider than at any time since the 1920s, and the welfare state on which most of us depend is being destroyed by cuts and privatisation. Only millionaires have anything to celebrate.

 

In how many places is this not the case? The last two summer Games were in Greece and China - one more broke than us, one with a human rights record which overshadows any of our (considerable) equality problems. I don't see the Games as a way of pretending everything is fine and dandy*, I see them as a way of actually creating a bit of escapism and good feeling.

 

 

3. The economic and social devastation is deliberate. The business elite who will be hogging a good proportion of the 2.2 million seats not on sale to the public are directly responsible for the crash, the crisis, and the cuts. They should not be allowed to bask in the limelight as if all were well.

 

I agree, but again how would this be any different elsewhere?

 

 

4. Most ordinary people failed to get tickets. It is estimated that half those who staked £1,000 and two-thirds of those who staked £250 got nothing. Most poor people never had a hope.

 

Who exactly describes themselves as "poor" and then splashes a grand on some theoretical tickets?

 

 

5. Hardly anyone living near the main stadium has got tickets. But there will be no freebies for the deprived communities of Newham. All the freebies – 2.2 million of them – are reserved for VIPs, IOC guests, and corporate sponsors.

 

I can't defend this, although the notion of giving locals ticket priority is completely at odds with the idea of making the Games something for the whole country.

 

 

6. The whole event is dominated by corporate sponsorship, corporate contracts, and corporate logos. There is no democratic control, no popular participation, no engagement with the local communities and businesses.

 

Find me a recent Games that wasn't so corporate.

 

 

7. The corporatisation of the Games means corruption and cover-up. LOCOG is refusing to reveal how many tickets at major events are freebies. One estimate is that six in ten of the 80,000 tickets for top events like the men’s 100m final fall into this category. Meantime, corporate sponsors are doling out tickets as bonuses to staff or hospitality to clients. Global accountancy firm Deloitte is using a ‘large proportion … to reward staff achievements’. City HQs are to become ‘Olympic reception centres’ for the duration.

 

See my previous point.

 

 

8. The Westfield Shopping Centre is a moral obscenity. The whole first floor consists of designer shops with price tags beyond the reach of more than one in a hundred local people.

 

I'm assuming that's a misprint and it was supposed to say within reach of less than one in a hundred?

 

 

9. Massive transport disruption is planned throughout the Games. This is so that the rich do not have to use public transport like the rest of us. Instead, freeways will be reserved through the London streets for the LOCOG fleet of 5,000 cars.

 

So that takes strain OFF the public transport system then? I don't agree with the idea of private roads but what do you expect after four and a half years of Boris?

 

 

10. The politicians, the corporations, and the rich own the London 2012 Games – not the British people. Yet only £1.4 billion has been contributed by sponsors compared with £12 billion by the taxpayer.

 

...which will be recouped assuming the Games make a profit. I'm repeating myself a lot but if this whole thing earns us money and spares a few cuts elsewhere will you still be complaining?

1. The Games, along with the Diamond Jubilee, have been hijacked by the political elite as a ‘bread and circuses’ diversion from the grim realities of the Age of Austerity. They are cutting £20 billion from the NHS, £18 billion from welfare, but they can find £12 billion for the Olympics.

 

I disagree with the cuts as much as anyone but let's hold on and see if the Games actually return a profit first.

2. The Games are being used to showcase Britain ‘as though everything is nice and rosy in the garden’ (McCluskey). It isn’t. The gap between rich and poor is wider than at any time since the 1920s, and the welfare state on which most of us depend is being destroyed by cuts and privatisation. Only millionaires have anything to celebrate.

 

In how many places is this not the case? The last two summer Games were in Greece and China - one more broke than us, one with a human rights record which overshadows any of our (considerable) equality problems. I don't see the Games as a way of pretending everything is fine and dandy*, I see them as a way of actually creating a bit of escapism and good feeling.

3. The economic and social devastation is deliberate. The business elite who will be hogging a good proportion of the 2.2 million seats not on sale to the public are directly responsible for the crash, the crisis, and the cuts. They should not be allowed to bask in the limelight as if all were well.

 

I agree, but again how would this be any different elsewhere?

4. Most ordinary people failed to get tickets. It is estimated that half those who staked £1,000 and two-thirds of those who staked £250 got nothing. Most poor people never had a hope.

 

Who exactly describes themselves as "poor" and then splashes a grand on some theoretical tickets?

5. Hardly anyone living near the main stadium has got tickets. But there will be no freebies for the deprived communities of Newham. All the freebies – 2.2 million of them – are reserved for VIPs, IOC guests, and corporate sponsors.

 

I can't defend this, although the notion of giving locals ticket priority is completely at odds with the idea of making the Games something for the whole country.

6. The whole event is dominated by corporate sponsorship, corporate contracts, and corporate logos. There is no democratic control, no popular participation, no engagement with the local communities and businesses.

 

Find me a recent Games that wasn't so corporate.

7. The corporatisation of the Games means corruption and cover-up. LOCOG is refusing to reveal how many tickets at major events are freebies. One estimate is that six in ten of the 80,000 tickets for top events like the men’s 100m final fall into this category. Meantime, corporate sponsors are doling out tickets as bonuses to staff or hospitality to clients. Global accountancy firm Deloitte is using a ‘large proportion … to reward staff achievements’. City HQs are to become ‘Olympic reception centres’ for the duration.

 

See my previous point.

8. The Westfield Shopping Centre is a moral obscenity. The whole first floor consists of designer shops with price tags beyond the reach of more than one in a hundred local people.

 

I'm assuming that's a misprint and it was supposed to say within reach of less than one in a hundred?

9. Massive transport disruption is planned throughout the Games. This is so that the rich do not have to use public transport like the rest of us. Instead, freeways will be reserved through the London streets for the LOCOG fleet of 5,000 cars.

 

So that takes strain OFF the public transport system then? I don't agree with the idea of private roads but what do you expect after four and a half years of Boris?

10. The politicians, the corporations, and the rich own the London 2012 Games – not the British people. Yet only £1.4 billion has been contributed by sponsors compared with £12 billion by the taxpayer.

 

...which will be recouped assuming the Games make a profit. I'm repeating myself a lot but if this whole thing earns us money and spares a few cuts elsewhere will you still be complaining?

 

I've no idea why on earth you think the games will make us any money... If anyone makes money, it will be the Corporations... You can kiss that £12 bn we put into this goodbye.... And just saying "find me a games that wasn't so corporate" hardly makes it alright... Especially when you look into the nature of many of these "sponsors"... I mean, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Dow Chemicals, Atos...?? Are you f**king kidding me???

 

All over London I'm seeing signs up on bus stops saying "routes served by these buses are subject to change during the Olympics", meaning that routes will be either diverted or roads will basically be closed to public transport during the games.. I do not find this acceptable, we live and work in London, it's OUR city, NOT f**king LOCOG's or the IOC's.....

Unless they want huge gaps at Hampden, there WILL have to be freebies. They'll have to hand the tickets out in the city centre or at the gates at this rate or bus the VIPs in from other parts of the UK.

 

Scots don't mind paying a fair price but they won't let corporations rip them off.

 

LOCOG already got its fingers burnt when it tried to railroad the Hampden Park board to replace the Saltire with the Union Flag. The saltire WILL fly over the Olympic games played there.

 

The people of London seem to have been treated abominably. When you think of all the bold promises that were made during preparations for the bid.

Edited June 11, 201213 yr by Baytree

I've no idea why on earth you think the games will make us any money...

Because most Olympics turn a profit, particularly when they're being done for several million than the last one?

Unless they want huge gaps at Hampden, there WILL have to be freebies. They'll have to hand the tickets out in the city centre or at the gates at this rate or bus the VIPs in from other parts of the UK.

 

Scots don't mind paying a fair price but they won't let corporations rip them off.

 

LOCOG already got its fingers burnt when it tried to railroad the Hampden Park board to replace the Saltire with the Union Flag. The saltire WILL fly over the Olympic games played there.

 

The people of London seem to have been treated abominably. When you think of all the bold promises that were made during preparations for the bid.

 

Yep, indeed they have, especially people in the Stratford area around the Olympic stadium, and people around Wembley as well... Many claims were made, but very little has actually changed for people generally...

I think maybe Scott's just peeved that he hasn't got a ticket. :D Me neither but my sister has, for basketball, and they only put that as their last choice! :rolleyes:

Edited June 11, 201213 yr by Common Sense

Because most Olympics turn a profit, particularly when they're being done for several million than the last one?

 

That's simply not true, most Olympics LOSE money for their host cities... Hardly did Athens any good, did it...? And, it took Toronto (or was it Montreal..?) almost 30 years to pay back the debts it racked up.... If you honestly think that London is going to make 12bn off of these games, you're either ridiculously optimistic or you've drank the Olympic Kool Aid like everyone else who's NOT a Londoner....

That's simply not true, most Olympics LOSE money for their host cities... Hardly did Athens any good, did it...? And, it took Toronto (or was it Montreal..?) almost 30 years to pay back the debts it racked up.... If you honestly think that London is going to make 12bn off of these games, you're either ridiculously optimistic or you've drank the Olympic Kool Aid like everyone else who's NOT a Londoner....

You know as well as I do that Montreal spent an obscene amount of money, hence why they were paying it off for so long. Inflation-adjusted Athens spent more than we have as well.

Montreal is indeed a particularly woeful case but they only spent $1.5 billion (about $5.6 billion today).

 

Global sporting events have largely become valuable only to developing or burgeoning countries. Places like South Africa and Rio will likely see the benefits for decades in the form of increased tourism and investment. But who will go to/invest in London after the games that wouldn't have already? Who on this planet who has the means to visit London didn't know about it before the Olympics?? Such events are also increasingly the domain of autocratic countries given the extraordinary amount of resources required would never achieve any democratic approval (cue protests in London in 3, 2, 1...)

 

We Americans did figure out how to make a good profit from Olympic games but it was through brazen corporate sponsorship (e.g. Coca-Cola ads throughout Atlanta's Olympic venues) which the IOC rightfully banned (sort of). Nothing to be proud of, to be sure.

 

Let the games go to Russia and Qatar along with the world's tallest skyscrapers and most-starred-hotels and everything else... isn't (relative) freedom and democracy enough to brag about?

Edited June 13, 201213 yr by Consie

You know as well as I do that Montreal spent an obscene amount of money, hence why they were paying it off for so long. Inflation-adjusted Athens spent more than we have as well.

 

Errr, you dont consider £12 bn and counting to be an obscene amount of money...? I think the vast majority of Londoners would disagree with you on that one....

Montreal is indeed a particularly woeful case but they only spent $1.5 billion (about $5.6 billion today).

 

Global sporting events have largely become valuable only to developing or burgeoning countries. Places like South Africa and Rio will likely see the benefits for decades in the form of increased tourism and investment. But who will go to/invest in London after the games that wouldn't have already? Who on this planet who has the means to visit London didn't know about it before the Olympics?? Such events are also increasingly the domain of autocratic countries given the extraordinary amount of resources required would never achieve any democratic approval (cue protests in London in 3, 2, 1...)

 

We Americans did figure out how to make a good profit from Olympic games but it was through brazen corporate sponsorship (e.g. Coca-Cola ads throughout Atlanta's Olympic venues) which the IOC rightfully banned (sort of). Nothing to be proud of, to be sure.

 

Let the games go to Russia and Qatar along with the world's tallest skyscrapers and most-starred-hotels and everything else... isn't (relative) freedom and democracy enough to brag about?

 

Precisely, and we're still spending well over double this amount, even going by today's standards.... Also, that fact that the above amount is in dollars too, so, the London Games will probably end up costing about THREE TIMES in sterling terms what the Montreal Games would cost today.....

 

 

Precisely, and we're still spending well over double this amount, even going by today's standards.... Also, that fact that the above amount is in dollars too, so, the London Games will probably end up costing about THREE TIMES in sterling terms what the Montreal Games would cost today.....

 

You've spent the entire thread moaning about how the Games have become overly commercialised yet you can't see where London's extra revenue will come from? Oops.

The London 2012 Olympics are f***ing retarded. Why should our money be spent on the Olympics rather than the NHS and welfare? Everything about the games is corporate and the communities who live near the stadium should get priority instead of politicians and businesses. This is the reason why I also hated the Diamond Jubilee...

 

Oh, and Charlie, is your viewpoint the typical Labour viewpoint of the Olympic Games? Because I was a Labour supporter, but now I'm not so sure...

The London 2012 Olympics are f***ing retarded. Why should our money be spent on the Olympics rather than the NHS and welfare? Everything about the games is corporate and the communities who live near the stadium should get priority instead of politicians and businesses. This is the reason why I also hated the Diamond Jubilee...

 

Oh, and Charlie, is your viewpoint the typical Labour viewpoint of the Olympic Games? Because I was a Labour supporter, but now I'm not so sure...

 

Really? :D

All three main English parties' official line is to support the Olympics although all parties obviously have dissenting members. One of the conditions for a bid is that it has all-party support as an insurance against a change of government.

The London 2012 Olympics are f***ing retarded. Why should our money be spent on the Olympics rather than the NHS and welfare? Everything about the games is corporate and the communities who live near the stadium should get priority instead of politicians and businesses. This is the reason why I also hated the Diamond Jubilee...

 

Oh, and Charlie, is your viewpoint the typical Labour viewpoint of the Olympic Games? Because I was a Labour supporter, but now I'm not so sure...

As Suedehead said, it's in accordance to all the main parties' policies past and present. Your point?

I'm absolutely certain that Scott and the reast of you moanin about the Olympics will be glued to your screens at 9pm on July 27th for the Opening Ceremony live.