London Olympics 2012

This Hot Topic focuses on the challenges of staging, securing, organizing and financing  the  2012 London Olympics -- coupled with the dynamics of national pride, corporate  social responsibility and environmental stewardship.    You will not read the results of the 100-meter dash in this section, but you will read about aspects of the 2012 Olympic extravaganza and issues of sustainability, security measures and the overall impact on the UK environment.

The exact origins of the Olympic Games are things of myths and legends and rooted in the mists of time past in ancient Greece.   Ancient  records do indicate  however that they were first held in Olympia, Greece in 776 BC and were celebrated with some regularity  for the next 600-plus years.   The modern games were first held in Greece in 1896 under the auspices of the International  Olympic Committee.  Reflective  of the views of the Victorian Age, the Games held the highest traditions of athletic  competition  and individual strength and ability.

Suspended during World War I  and WW II  and limited during the Cold War in 1980 and 1984, the games have  evolved into an event welcoming 200 countries and attracting more than 13,000 athletes. 

The Games also become a platform for some countries and ideologies to express their views on the worldwide stage.   The modern Olympic Games are a much sought after event by host cities for the prestige attached to being an “Olympic venue,” and hoped-for economic benefits. The Olympic Games are larger than life showcases for the accomplishments of individuals athletes and nations in more than  400 separate events.  And, powerful symbols of progress for the host cities.

They can also be the venue for destructive behavior, as the world saw in the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972.  London, being the crossroads of the Commonwealth and a top city for tourists, will be on guard as the games approach.