Friday, August 10, 2012

8 Worst Aspects of the Olympics

Let me make one thing clear - I love sport and have thoroughly enjoyed watching the best of human physical achievement over the last two weeks. But there are some things about the London 2012 Olympics that will make me relieved to see the back of them. Here are 8 of them, in no particular order:
  1. The London 2012 logo
  2. The inane and ill-informed television commentary on Sky TV New Zealand
  3. The endless coverage of table tennis - surely this is the most unwatchable sport ever with each rally over before you can make out what has happened
  4. The tedious Chariots of Fire theme song played at every medal ceremony
  5. The long celebration of Britain's National Health Service during the open ceremony - there has not been such a politicised opening since Moscow 1980
  6. The use of pompous, minor IOC functionaries to present almost all medals - the use of past successful athletes would be more creditable
  7. The jingoistic and self-indulgent nationalism ("didn't we do well?" - actually YOU didn't do anything)
  8. China's success - this is a dictatorship using the odious, near-child-slavery practices of the Soviet block to build its national image through sporting achievement, and therefore nothing to celebrate.

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