Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Dump pointless and costly farce
Thursday 28th August 2008, 9:56AM BST.
Sue Barker, commentating at the Beijing Olympics, stated that: “The whole nation is rooting for Team GB”. Wrong! (For one thing it will soon be known as Team EU if a group calling itself “Young Euro Federalists” get their way.)
Personally, I have no interest in the Olympics and am proud of the fact that, despite blanket media coverage, I haven’t watched even one minute of it. And I suspect I am not alone.
In fact I am willing to speculate that the vast majority of the people in this country have much more important matters on their minds – such as losing their homes; losing their jobs; higher food, fuel and utility prices, etc – than giving two hoots about the Olympics or the number of medals “Team GB” brought home. The whole expensive exercise is a farce and a travesty, which this year was hosted by a country that doesn’t know the meaning of the term “human rights”. It’s supposedly an amateur event, yet many of the competitors are professionals in all but name.
Also, one of “Team GB’s” gold medal winners has previously been banned “for life” (the ban later lifted) for failing to attend three routine drugs tests. Why did she fail to attend and why was the “lifetime” ban she received lifted? She broke the rules.
The whole pointless event should be consigned to history, preferably before we squander any more taxes on the 2012 fiasco!
R A Sargeant, Corporation Road, Dudley.
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
At least a GB Gold medal in the 2012 Miserable Git event is assured
Report abuse
If it still is a GB medal. So that’s two medals now for team EU, one in the misery and one in political naivety. Looks like we’re doing well so far.
I agree they were a farce, but that was down to the powers that be, not our athletes who did a brilliant job and don’t deserve to be brought down by our political frustrations.
If they were the last team GB, they were certainly the best.
Report abuse
R A, you really have no clue about the Olympics have you?
I’m not a fan though I can appreciate the dedication and effort our athletes put in.
Nice to have an aim for many competitors. There’s also an element of pride – both for the nation and the town each winner comes from.
RA, try imagining a world where there was no sport competitions like the Olympics. Might suit you but it would be a far poorer world for the rest of us.
Report abuse
It just goes to show you can’t please english sports fans. When we loose at football we moan and groan about our team and we don’t do well in most sports these days, although we were rugby world champions a few years ago. So when we finally do well at somehing and win a load of gold medals theres always some one out there able to moan about it! Thats definately a british trait-never happy are we?
Report abuse
Joe, I’ll have a substantial bet with you that a Team GB competes at the next Olympics, and that a Team EU does not.
Report abuse
Doctor What,
I sincerely hope that team GB do!
Report abuse
what a waste of money
Report abuse
Joe, I’ll take you on as well. £100 there’s a GB team in 2012. Will you put your money where your mouth is or is it just posturing on your part?
Report abuse
Well, RA, I’m afraid that the Chinese Prime Minister is probably not very chastened by your comments. China is getting ready to become Top Nation, and you’d better get your head around it. To prove how good they are, they managed to stage the most spectacular, well-organised and successful Olympics the world has ever seen. Team GB did superbly by working hard and by using Britain’s global outreach to bring in foreign coaches, good for them. Looking forwards not backwards. China rescued all those factory workers and auto engineers at Longbridge, didn’t they? Did you know that China provies more foriegn students to the UK than any other nation?
It’s high time that the Little Englanders grow up or shut up. Do you seriously imagine that our little island with only 4% of world GDP is ever going to Rule the Waves all by its little self? It’s a ludicrous idea. We must leverage out global partnerships, make the most of our EU membership and the massive markets it brings us, engage with India, use our Hong Kong links. Otherwise our country will never pull out of the recession that we are in now.
Report abuse