British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan: 'remarkable decade for UK sport'

“The Olympic Games were an outstanding and historic event for the UK” were the words of Lord Colin Moynihan last night as the University of Kent’s autumn series of open lectures headed to the Medway Campus.

In a poignant tribute to the London 2012 legacy, Lord Moynihan made his final public speech as British Olympic Association chairman, as he gets ready to pass the baton on to Lord Sebastian Coe.

Speaking to students, staff and members of the public, his lecture on ‘The Olympic Legacy from London’ touched on how his seven year stint as BOA chief had transformed the organisation into an “athlete-centred” body, firmly “focused on performance”.

The former politician and Olympic silver-medalist said: “Our objective was to earn more medals for more sports.” The Great Britain team came third in the medal table, with a total of 65 medals including 29 Gold’s, exceeding all targets made by the UK Sport government agency.

But with the Olympics now over, Lord Moynihan turned his attentions to the importance of the Olympic legacy, and how the main “objective is to improve sports in schools and education.”

He said: “Success of the Olympics Games needs to be a catalyst for a wider school sports agenda.”

His ideas echoed recent government policy, unveiled by Sport Minister Hugh Robertson, which will see £135million invested in sport facilities.

Other key policies include a £1billion investment over the next five years in the Youth Sport Strategy, to link sports clubs and schools together with the support of teachers, parents and the local community.

Speaking about the proposals, Lord Moynihan said: “Imagine the talent that is out there that we haven’t discovered.”

Arguing that money should be devolved from sporting quangos to local government and sports clubs, he said the way forward was for the cross-government promotion of sport.

He argued: “There are many departments of state in government who can help promote sport.”

During the lecture, he went on to praise the “girl power” of the Olympics, stating that a key feature of London 2012 was how “women led the way”. He argued that more access for women participation in sport  and more ‘top job’ opportunities for women in sporting organisations were vital.

He also added that the popularity of female presenters such as Clare Balding and Hazel Irvine should lead the way for a change of attitude in the media, stressing the need for more female editors and reporters.

Looking to the future of UK sport, he claimed that this decade would be “a remarkable decade for UK sport.” The UK has already won the rights to host more than 20 events, including the Rugby World Cup 2015, the Commonwealth Games 2014 and the World Athletics 2017.

And, as he hands over to Lord Coe on November 7, Lord Moynihan reflected that it had “been a massive privilege” to work at the BOA for seven years, but that he will "continue to argue strongly in the House of Lords for sporting legacy.”

A fantastic finale to an incredible year for London

Yesterday I had the privilege of joining thousands of other London 2012 Games Makers, some fresh from their role at the Paralympics, at a packed-out Mall in London’s West End yesterday for the Athletes Parade. The lucky thousand or so who received special tickets to see the Team GB athletes, who have made the Olympics and Paralympics so special, were lined up right across the Pall Mall along with thousands of members of the public, servicemen and dignitaries.

 

Cheering, signing, clapping and indeed screaming at times, the atmosphere was incredible as everyone waved to the heroes of the Games. London, the nation and indeed the world has been touched at the incredible success of London 2012; from the gallant effort of the athletes to the brilliant organising of LOCOG and the London mayor. I felt very proud to be praised by so many people too for my role as a Games Maker, a role which I will never ever forget.

 

As the float procession came through the Mall, I was busy taken hundreds of photos of the athletes, who were all smiling and waving, proudly displaying their medals and soaking up the atmosphere.

Mo Farah, Sir Chris Hoy, Jonnie Peacock, Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Sarah Storey, Katherine Grainger, Louis Smith…just some of the famous faces I saw, every single one of them a hero in their own discipline, and whom the nation will remember forever.

(Eddie Izzard)

With music, entertainment and even an appearance from Ezzie Izzard, who dressed in the bright purple and red uniform I had grown accustomed to, the afternoon was fantastic, a proper send-off to London 2012. Now the legacy lives on, and as the red arrows flashed through the sky rounding off the celebrations, it’s time for the UK to take advantage of sport and all benefit from the legacy.

 

Thank you Games Makers, thank you athletes, thank you Britain! The Games have changed my life and it has been a real honour to be a part of it. The Olympics and Paralympics have given us so much hope, so much joy and so much to look forward to. I just hope it comes back in my life time…

 

You can see my photos from the parade, including photos of our athletes, here.

P.s/ Any suggestions as to which sport I should take up? Fencing appeals to me! What do you think I should take up, thoughts and suggestions would be grateful.

Post-Olympic blues

Alas, it’s one week now since the Olympics graced our screens for the last time (or at least, in London for the foreseeable future.) It was a day that saw Britain win a few more medals to round off a fantastic haul in London, and culminated in a fantastic party featuring the likes of George Michael and Kate Moss.

And I, like many other people it seems, just can’t get one act out of my head. Yes, this last week I’ve been reliving my inner-Baby Spice (I was always the Baby one) and singing ‘Spice up your life’ at any given opportunity.

It doesn’t help that the girls have been teasing the media, with suggestions from Mel C that she’d “do it all again” and “never say never”. Oh Spice Girls, won’t you reform once more?

Thank the lord for the new Spice Girls musical, Viva forever!, which looks set to hit the West End later this year.

In the meantime, you can dig out the leopard print and that oh-so-short union jack dress and reminsce over last Sunday night’s fantastic performance from arguably the world’s best ever girl band here.

And don’t forget, the Paralympics are just around the corner. Tickets are selling quickly, so keep on checking the website for availability. No doubt Britain will lay down the foundations for another great games. You can find out more about the Paralympics here.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

My Games Maker experience

For the past few weeks, the jourknow has been contributing to what can only be described as the greatest Sporting event in the world. The Olympic Games in London have thrilled the nation since they began, with Team GB arguably putting in the best performance we’re unlikely to see at an Olympic Games again. We’ve embraced the drama, the excitement and at times, the frustration of all the Olympics brings to the host nation, and what a ride it has been since the Opening Ceremony marked the beginning of the sporting action.

But for all the fans and spectators playing their part in the Olympics, there was one group of people who went the extra mile to ensuring the Games ran smoothly, efficiently and more importantly, memorably. The thousands of Games Makers, made up of volunteers of all ages, have in some cases been more talked about then the athletes themselves. Their determination, skill and smiley faces have welcomed millions of spectators into all the sporting venues, and have been the foundations for the success of London 2012.

I was one of the many Games Makers who helped shape these Games, and what a memorable experience it was. Up at the crack of dawn for eight shifts in total, I hopped on the train to Earls Court to assist the security team at the venue, which was home to the Volleyball. My role was simple but important; ensure spectators are ready for security by following strict security controls put in place by LOCOG, thus enabling the security procedures to run coherently.

It might sound simple, but it’s a daunting task when you’re serving 300 spectators per security lane per hour. With spectators arriving from all four corners of the globe, the language barrier was often a problem, but despite a few grumpy spectators, (the American’s and Korean’s were the grumpiest), it went off without a hitch. I was delighted at how fantastic the atmosphere was. The crowds were really cheerful, despite the odd shower or queue. I was overcome with emotion when thanked by many of the home crowd, and it was certainly refreshing to see so many people come together and get on. In fact, you could have almost forgotten about the animosity between countries, because here, everyone was happy.

And it wasn’t just the crowd that I enjoyed working with, the security team were great too. The other volunteers I worked with were fantastic, all really friendly and kind. I made so many friends from my time at Earls Court and felt sad to be leaving my team after my last shift. It was great to work with people that shared the same passion as you - to make the Games memorable for everyone - but who had all come from different paths of life.

The army were fantastic to work with too. Saving the day at the last minute from the dreadful G4S drama, the army ensured that security was tight from start to finish. I respect these guys so much, living in squalid conditions, waking up at the crack of dawn with many working through what was their holiday time, yet still managing to smile and guard the venues. They were funny, and the laughs kept on coming. The nicest guys I’ve ever worked with and I really hope the reputation of the Armed Forces in this country improves because of their role in the Olympics.

My Games Maker experience ended before it had barely begun. Every session I worked at was special. The smiley spectators, the friendly staff, the warm (but generally bland) meals, the volleyball games we managed to sneak in to, the great gifts we were given as a token of thanks; all of it contributed to a fantastic few weeks of magic and excitement. For me, it’s an experience I won’t forget, and I can’t wait to relive it with my grandchildren some day.

Forget sport! Why the Olympics is all about money for the IOC

The Olympics is without a doubt the greatest sporting event in the world. Every four years, nearly every nation comes together to compete for the glory of a gold medal and making their country proud. Even if you don’t like sport, the Olympics offers viewers and the public a chance to get involved at every level, whether it be volunteering or enjoying the Cultural Olympiad.

The London 2012 games promises to be no different, with the legacy aiming to reignite the nation’s, particularly kids, love for sport. In fact today, with one month to go to the opening ceremony, the whole nation is gearing up to host the biggest party of the year.

So surely this national event should remain truly public, ensuring that all the nation are able to watch and view the sporting events? Well, it seems that the International Olympic Committee have other ideas. This week, IOC president Jacques Rogge confirmed that the broadcasting rights to the next Winter Olympics (in Sochi 2014) and the Summer Olympics (in Rio 20126) are up for grabs, with negotiations likely to start from the end of this week.

Currently, broadcasting rights to the Olympics in the UK are solely in the hands of the BBC. The BBC has promised to show over 2,500 hours of coverage for this year’s Olympics, and has been the host broadcaster for several decades. Promising red button viewing, special channels and even 3D coverage, the BBC’s coverage has been critically acclaimed over the years.

But the IOC, looking to raise money through lucrative broadcasting rights, are looking to negotiate with pay-tv and telecommunication giants, namely BSkyB and BT (who both recently took out a lucrative, highly expensive contract for the Premiership football rights), where the coverage would be handed to them, making a nice profit for the IOC.

Although the broadcasting rights to the Olympics are protected under legislation, the IOC is looking to reach a deal where 200 hours of free-to-air content would be reserved for say the BBC (or Channel 4, who took over the Paralympics and World Athletics coverage recently) and show the rest through pay-TV or another platform.

For me, these plans and calls by the president are rather worrying. Can you imagine having to pay to watch coverage of the Olympics on a subscription-based system? No, nor can I. Not only will it be breaking with tradition, but there’s several negative consequences here.

Firstly, the coverage of the Olympics on the BBC rivals all other broadcasters. It’s free to air, meaning everyone in the UK with a television set has the ability to watch the Olympics. Compare that to BT Vision, who have around 750,000 subscribers (I am one, and I certainly don’t think it’s worth the cost), which will significantly decrease the profile of the Olympics. The legacy of the Olympics is to inspire generations and promote sport, a legacy which will be compromised if the rights go to a pay-TV channel.

Secondly, the tactics used by the president to report on such ‘negotiations’ creates a bidding war atmosphere which ultimately the BBC is going to suffer in. The Beeb already facing the burden of 25% budget cuts in Sport, has recently lost key sporting events such as horse racing to Channel 4, the French Open to ITV and most of the Formula 1 to Sky. Sky, BT or ESPN will have significantly more money to put on the table, and with the IOC increasingly looking to make money rather than promote sport nowadays, the BBC is in a difficult position.

So what should happen? Well, I’d like to think the government would step in and protect the rights of the Olympics to free-to-air broadcasting. But sadly, I don’t think that will happen. We know from recent events how close a certain minister for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is with News Corporation and BSkyB, and with the government preferring business and privatization, I doubt the government will even raise an eyebrow over the plans.

Which is where public opinion comes in. Yes, good old public opinion. The government would be wise to keep track of public opinion over the plans. No doubt sporting stars, the BBC and fans of the Olympics will protest at the plans if they get the go-ahead. I mean, just look at the petitions and condemnation over the Formula 1 rights! With London 2012 looming, surely the number of people watching and participating in the Olympics could help sway the view of the government in ensuring the rights remain free-to-air. The Olympics generate publicity, which generates interest from the public and abroad, which helps boost the economy.

Well, anything goes really. All I know is that it will be a sad day if the Olympics was privatized into the hands of a conglomerate like Sky or BT who would profit from the Olympics legacy. The IOC looks certain to back the plans, with similar circumstances on rights already agreed for countries like Italy. The IOC you’d think would be keen to retain their dwindling popularity after the furore over the sponsorship of Dow Chemicals and other companies.

But that’s the case for most sport nowadays sadly, it’s not about the taking part or being a representative for your country, it’s about making as much money as possible. The Olympics would just add to a long list of sports which have been sold out to big companies so that orgaisations like the IOC can make a tidy profit.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

Risky game for British Airways

I love a good commercial, and with viewers flocking to their screens for events such as the Euros and the Olympics this summer, it's gonna be a bumper year for advertising agencies. Companies are putting big amounts of money on the table to get a slice of the precious minutes of screen time available for advertisers.

Which is why I was a little confused at the new British Airways advert released this week, which urges the British public to stay at home this summer and enjoy what's on in their local area and in London.

The one minute long ad sees a British Airways plane 'drive' around London, passing all the iconic sites, before reaching a halt outside the Olympic stadium.

Ultimately, the motive behind the campaign must lie behind the sponsorship deal British Airways has for the Olympics. It's an Official Partner for the London 2012 Games, and will heavily benefit from the games, one presumes.

Maybe then, one could presume that British Airways are benefiting from new advertising campaign, maybe from the government? They would have paid millions of pounds into the London 2012 Olympic Games, so why would they risk losing more money by promoting families to stay at home and not use their planes? I'm not suggesting what they're doing is wrong, in fact I think it's right of them to promote the UK during this special year. But British Airways is a business, and business doesn't play nice - which makes me think they're getting something in return for this deal.

Who knows, all I know is that the advert and the intense advertising campaign surrounding it (British Airways is using both Facebook and Twitter to promote their new campaign) must have cost them a lot of money to pull off. Time will tell when they release their end-of-year revenue figures early next year.

You can watch the advertising campaign here. You can also check out their Facebook page and Twitter too.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

Olympics 2012 - over before it has even reached the finish line?

It was on the 6 July 2005, at approximately 12.46pm UK time, that the President of the International Olmpic Committee (IOC), Jacques Rogge, said in front of the General Assembly in Singapore - and indeed millions of others across the world - that London would be the host of the olympic games in 2012. In fact, if you want the full quote, he said: "The Games of the XXX Olympiad in 2012 are awarded to the city of...London."

I remember being at school when the games were announced. A naive 13 year old boy with ambitious dreams to be a journalist, but with little understanding of what the Olympic Games meant. Yes, I had watched previous games, and could remember vividly cheering Kelly Holmes to victory not once, but twice in the 2004 games in Athens. But apart from that, it was merely a sports contest, which I likened to a music concert or a World Cup match. It did not seem to really affect me, and I had no idea about the legacy, the power and the change to the lives of Briton's across the country.

I look back on that moment now and reflect. I remember the cheers and jubilation of the public. The crowds in London going wild, my friends all around me going crazy; I even remember Denise Lewis jumping across her desk at the committee in Singapore, as if she was competing in the final of the 200m hurdles. A flurry of Union Jack flags, streamers and bunting collate to form a pretty important moment in our history.

And by and large, the excitement of the games has not changed over the last seven years. In fact, this year it has really hit home at just how huge this event will be for London, and indeed the country. Excitement has reached fever pitch and already, mums are busy preparing scones, lemonade and sausage rolls for the many street parties that are bound to take place.

But in seems this feeling of joy is being shadowed by a somber feeling of anger and regret as many of the public, from politicians to the media, start waking up to the reality of what the Olympics really means.

Over the last seven years, I have followed the Olympic games with a keen interest. Since the end of Beijing 2008, it is fair to say the attention has turned on London. And in the last few months in particular, it seems that, rather than supporting London 2012, there is a move to condemn and scrutinise it.

Let's start with the Olympic Park. It has regenerated an area that was badly in need of repair. In fact, I would say it has put Stratford and East London back on the map - not for gang crime and poverty, as the usual stories report - but for a location of fantastic sporting facilities, new infrastructure and a cleaner, greener landscape. It is foolish to conceit that the games have not improved the area. But at what cost? A recent Sky News investigation revealed that the true cost of staging the games had reached £12 billion, five times more than the original estimates made by the former Labour government way back when London bid for the games in 2005. Yet even more worrying was the fact, when associated costs are added, the bill could cost ten times the original estimate of £2.37 billion.

Yet it is worth it, right. Or is it? Because recent figures from Visit Britain suggest that tourism figures will only match those of last year, which fell just short of 31 million. Tourism, apart from the sporting legacy of the Olympic Games, has been the main factor in promoting the Olympics. Yet, 7 years ago when the bid was made, tourism experts claimed the Games would do nothing to help increase tourism in the UK. A recent article by The I Paper claimed that the European Tour Operators Association (ETOS) said there was little evidence from previous games to suggest tourism is boosted by the Olympics. They cited reasons such as traffic, congestion, pollution and over-crowding to be the main reasons for people being put off into travelling to London.

Transport chaos is bound to happen. Forget the worry of a security risk, a fault on the underground line is well worth a bet on. Transport for London (TFL) have ploughed £6.5 billion into transport upgrades, extensions to the lines and improvements to the service, to accommodate for the 9 million people who are estimated to be in London for the games. But with ongoing concern over rail bonuses, in which Bob Crow - RMT Union General Secretary - rejected the TFL's latest plans to give a £500 bonus to tube drivers, there are fears that the transport will not be ready in time for the summer, or indeed function. Transport bosses have warned that 3/10 journeys will be affected by traffic, with key areas like London Bridge and Canary Wharf. Even Boris Johnson, current London Major, has even urged travellers to avoid congestion spots, despite backing a recent campaign called "Get Ahead" to promote the use of public transport in London.

And then there is the cost. Travelling around London can be expensive enough, and what with forking out on tickets and numerous ice creams and cool drinks (if the sun does manage to shine), there is the costly experience of trying to book a hotel room. Complaints have been made across the country of extortionate fees for rooms in the many hotels in London. By just comparing rooms at a no-frills hotel branch for example, you will find that a double bedroom in London is 500% more per night than if you were to stay in Kent.

Even the hotel owners are unhappy. Last month, LOCOG - London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Parlaympic Games - put 25% of hotel rooms in London back on sale after over-estimating how many they would need for foreign dignitaries. The travel industry now estimates that the cost of these empty rooms - about 1 million beds in total - will cause a £3.5 billion loss to the tourism industry.

Then there was the ticketing fiasco. Only a quarter of all those who applied for tickets - in their millions, according to official statistics - got tickets for the games. I was one of the unlucky ones, who despite applying for four different events, got nothing. Meanwhile, a recent Daily Mail article pointed out that one man managed to get over £200,000 worth of tickets for various events. Although the LOCOG officials claimed the system was fair, there are many disgruntled fans of the Olympics who will have to watch their favourite athletes compete from their living rooms this summer.

Moving on from the financial concerns of the Olympics, morally, the games have been condemned. International criticism has hit LOCOG after Dow Jones, the chemical giant who has sponsored the IOC since 2010, was handed the contract to build the hi-tech fibre wrap which will surround the Olympic stadium. The chemical group bought Union Carbide in 2001, whose factory in 1984 leaked toxic chemicals in Bhopal, killing up to 15,000 people and seriously injuring thousands of others. The £7 million project has ignited wide-spread anger, and has even resulted in India threatening to withdraw its team from the games. Meredith Alexander, an official for the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, recently stepped down from her post in anger over the deal.

It seems that just as London gears up for the greatest sporting event in the world, the reality of the games behind the sporting action and celebrations hides the worrying truths of just how make-or-break the Olympics is to the economy, to tourism, to national security and to us as a nation.

But no matter how serious the consequences of the above may have on the Olympics, there is no doubt that it will change our lives. Whether it be the health benefits, the sense of community or the landscape, everyone should feel part of the event.

I am honoured to be representing the games as a Games Maker, one of the lucky few who makes up over 200,000 volunteers and staff for the Olympics. Not only am I incredibly proud and eager to help towards staging this phenomenal event, I truly believe that it will do more good then bad. If you speak to people in the streets, they will tell you that they feel the same, that this year is the year for Britain. A sense of pride, cohesion and jubilation all coming together. And in this day and age, that is something money really cannot buy.

You can read more of my work, including interviews with Bob Crow and former Olympic gold medal winner Ben Hunt-Davis, on my blog: http://thejourknow.blogspot.com/

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Friend for Friday: Ben Hunt-Davis MBE

So it's a Friday, which means it is time for Friday's feature, Friend for Friday.

Now this weeks friend relates with an on-going news story, which in the coming year, is only going to get bigger and better. Yes, the Olympics! Everyone is talking about it - whether you have tickets, are volunteering as a Games Maker (which I hopefully will be, as I went for an interview last week. Fingers crossed!), if you are going to one of the pre-games events or just love Sport, the London 2012 legacy will not only effect everyone, but will put Britain on the map!

So, what better way to introduce this weeks friend as a former Olympic gold medalist, who not only knows what it feels like to win and participate in the global event, but understands the important role of sport in our lives, and how the Olympics in London will play a part in our future.

Friend for Friday: Ben Hunt-Davis MBE

Ben Hunt-Davis MBE was one of the Men’s Eights British rowing team who won gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the first British winners of the rowing since 1912. Before that, he had rowed for almost a decade in which he had competed in three Olympic Games and six World Championships. After achieving his ultimate goal in his rowing career, Ben retired and has spent the last 7 years running a company called Point8 Coaching which helps individuals in business to improve their performance.

On the 10^th February, Ben came to Alton College to talk about his rowing career and prospects for next year’s Olympics. After attending the talk, Kieran Watkins & Alys Penfold spoke to him in more detail about his win, what the Olympics are really about and which football club he thinks should get the Olympic stadium. (I apologise for the terrible photo of me - I look like I have a black eye. Honestly, I wasn't involved in a punch up. It was the gold reflecting onto my tired face!)

What advice can you offer to young people, who wish to aspire high and find ‘their dreams’?

I would offer three pieces of advice:

1. If you have a dream, go for it. Don’t give it up.
2. Grab opportunities that come to you - whether it’s a work placement, holiday or something different, the more experience, the more rewarding it will be for the future.
3. If you want to do well, whether it is Maths or Sports, keep at it, make sure you enjoy it - and by all means, give it a go. I would never have been where I am now if I did not give rowing ‘a go!’

 So what was your real reason for becoming a rower?
Well at school, it was very much about Cricket and Ball Sports. I didn’t want to do this, or should I say I was useless at these sports! Nevertheless, I wanted to get into sport and the Olympics, it was my ambition - and so I tried something different. At the age of 13, I went into Rowing. Luckily, the school I went to was really helpful, and they got me in touch with a local rowing club. I trained 3 to 4 times a week - and the rest is history!

So rowing took over your life then?
Well, yes it did. I left school after that, I didn’t want to muck about and study, I wanted to race and train. So I left most of my friends and memories at the school gates, skipped university and went straight into training and improvement on the water.
In your own words, what are the Olympics all about?
It’s like a festival really. Not only is it focused about sport, and encourages people to be healthy, exercise and compete against others, but it brings people together. 2012 will in many ways be all about supporting the nation; whether it is at home, at the venue or the thousands of Games Makers volunteering to do their bit for the country, but let us not forget that the main reason will be to encourage people to try new things through the varieties of sporting activity available.

Are there signs of encouragement, particularly with the young, already showing?
Absolutely. I recently went to a rowing club near Doncaster, and the popularity of the sport is phenomenon. Sport is becoming popular again, and what with the increasing government support through programmes like ‘Change 4 Life’, where exercise supports healthy eating, it is a great time for sport. (I think you should add something here about him saying ‘it’s either sports or xbox’ you know, about getting lots of young people involved through the Olympic committee.)

Can the Olympics be down to this then?
Well, obviously there are lots of factors, but when Sebastian Coe stood in front of the Olympic committee in 2005, he pledged that the 2012 Olympic games in London would get the youth of the world involved in sport again, and if the signs are correct, then we’re definitely ‘going for gold’ on this!

How did you feel after you finished the race?
I just felt out of it, I was knackered! The fact that the whole team and I were so relieved we had crossed that finish line, we just accepted we had won; I was too tired to be enthusiastic about it but then it was just a build of realisation that we had actually won, and it was such a great feeling.

What was the reception like when you got back home?
It was really amazing, and nice to be re united with our families. When we arrived at Heathrow airport, it was full of people just coming up to us and congratulating us. For the next few weeks I was invited to all these parties and balls and really enjoyed myself but we all knew the fame wouldn’t last because we weren’t the most recognized people out of the Olympic team. I haven’t been recognized since!

Have you kept up a healthy regime since you stopped rowing?
I have been out in a boat a few times since and now I am involved with the current Olympic Committee so I do still keep a fairly good lifestyle. It is a big difference to what I ate when I was training though. I had around 7000 calories a day which was made up of about 8 weetabix for breakfast, half a kilo of pasta for lunch and probably the same for dinner. We had to eat lots of carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, vegetables and fruit. I didn’t eat very much on the morning of the race though, because I just threw it back up!

Finally, who should get the Olympic stadium after the 2012 Olympics; Tottenham or West Ham?
I think West Ham have pretty much got it now, haven’t they? But yeah, I think West Ham would make better use of the stadium.
 

Pictures courtesy of Ben and writers own.

Monday Madness: PE assessments to be made compulsory?

For today’s Monday Madness article - looking at a news story which promises to raise question and debate in the week ahead – I have chosen the recent calls on PE to be tested in schools, alongside reading and writing, as the main article for this week.

Stop dreading PE lessons, because they could become essential

Imagine you are running around a rugby pitch, guns blazing, with the ball in one hand and the opposing team in sight. You dodge the hooker - the boy who mocks your accent for being posh - you push past the two jocks and crash past the emo and slam the ball on to the ground, shouting “Try!” to your enthusiastic teammates. Sounds familiar? Well not to me. I was the one in secondary school PE who ran around helplessly, considered the ball a WW2 bomb and the opposing team a group of Nazis, and ran away from the ball at any chance I had. Slap on a bit of mud, volunteer for the odd scrum now and again – and hey presto, you look like you have joined in and your mouthy PE teacher is none the wiser.

Yes this is how I remember my PE lessons. Where those who liked sport, those who weren’t fussed and those who despised it came together on a wet winters day for a kick about, or in most cases, an hour of humiliation and torture. In the autumn, it was football, hockey and rugby, where teams were a popularity contest, with the person no one liked stuck in goal, and an opportunity for many of the bullies to push and shove as if they were a bull in a china shop.
In the spring, it was trampolining; a chance to bounce whilst the gender-confused boy waiting in line looks up your shorts. Followed by badminton; where the game involved hitting the shuttle cocks at the guy everyone hates. Completed with table tennis; the wimpiest excuse for a sport I have ever seen.
The summer was just as bad. Volleyball was tiresome, softball was complicated and tennis was just an excuse to see who can make the most impressive orgasm noise. And just mentioning athletics brings about an asthma attack, let alone partaking in it!

The fact I am trying to demonstrate here, rather comically, is that PE lessons for most people, besides the GCSE PE guys – those poor individuals - were a chance to muck around and have a laugh, not to get fit. They were infrequently enjoyable, nearly always ruined by bad weather, and at times, so humiliating, you dared go to school for the next week. Come on, who has never faked a sick note or misplaced an item of gym kit to get out of Friday afternoons hockey session?

So the news that Sports groups and medicine specialists are proposing that the government make PE exams compulsory, certainly shocked me, and many others across the nation.

Now on face value, the plans sound like a good idea. I personally feel that the rising diabetes rates and obesity figures in the UK need to be addressed, and are at a significant cost to the tax payer. Being overweight is not just about eating healthy, doing exercise is important and it should be persuaded.

However, deciding to make PE exams compulsory seems extreme. The problem with PE lessons is that they are stereotypically designed for those who are good at sport, not for those who just want to exercise and have fun. On the other hand, they are sexist too. At my old school, we were divided into sex – despite the only difference being girls did dance, and the boys did rugby. The only compromise was the ‘mixed group’, made up of both sexes – a group which was deemed ‘gay’ and ‘sissy’ – so no one ever went in this group either.

Yes, to some extent the kids of today are lazy – and for that, I would say look closer to home and blame the parents. But also blame the schools and authorities. For two hours each week, I was subject to doing an activity I didn’t enjoy, had no input or decision in taking part in, and subsequently did little to keep me fit or healthy.

Now I am not suggesting PE lessons are a waste of time. Quite the opposite in fact. I had some great memories of rounders, basketball and gym in my years at secondary, which I strongly deny was down alone to the gorgeous just-out-of-uni female teacher we had. But what I do propose is that if PE lessons are examined, which might be a good thing, then there needs to be a fundamental change.

In my last few months at Secondary school, we were allowed to pick the sport we wanted to play – usually a choice of three, which worked really well with all parties involved. It meant 9 times out of 10, pupils were actually partaking in sports they wanted to do. If they had implemented this in Year 7, when a nervous and apprehensive 11 year old transferred from beanbag throwing to running the 1500 metres, then maybe the experience of PE lessons would have been more enjoyable.

As Dr Andy Franklyn-Miller warns, “the physical competence of future generations is being put at risk because of a failure to give PE the same priority as other subjects in the school curriculum.” This gives schools and the government a fantastic opportunity to address the current problems in PE, and improve the fitness levels of teens across the country. And with the Olympics coming next year, what better time than the present! A win for all parties, perhaps?

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia