Had the fortunate/unfortunate (delete as required) experience of the torch passing through the village I’m staying in for a week.

At 4.40pm yesterday, the torch was passing through.

And what a joke it was!

There was an ‘official’ walking down the road, asking every shop keeper who had advertised anything to do with the Olympics to remove it from their shop window/bill-boards.

One tea-shop had a banner saying “Welcome Olympic Torch” …. which had to be pulled down!

Many other shops had to scrub out their chalkboard signs, welcoming the torch…. and things like “Today is Olympic Torch day – free coffee with every cake”. One old lady who ran her tea shop said “I helped pay for that torch with this business – so I’m keeping this sign up”. The ‘offical’ got the Police involved, but they had enough on their plate to deal with – and said “It was a civil matter, not criminal, so needed to sort it out themselves”.

Apparently, it’s to do with the TV footage – Samsung/Coke don’t want *anything* to say Olympic on it??

And the two ‘floats’ by Coke and Samsung were shocking. Quite embarrassing really…

/rant.

And still no attempt to put the torch out.

I despair of this nation!

What a joke. Hammering a tea room 🙁

And yet on the news last night, talking about people that were E-Baying their torches, the official olympic stance was apparently one of “understanding and tolerance”. They don’t mind what people do with their torches.

what if the cafe sold Coke or it was a shop selling Samsung products?

regardless it is completely stupid approach. Yes they have done it to stop people producing fake merchandise etc but a sign welcoming the torch?

Have they considered how the disruption of the torch going through an area causing road blocks might cost shop owners lost trade?

This kind of attitude is not in the spirit of the Olympics (am I even allowed to say that word???)

Well actually it is in the spirit of the olympics, an exclusive corporate w@nkfest.

It is quite wrong. I hate the commercialism. Also cant believe the sponsors – Coke and McDonalds FFS

Dear god how utterly pathetic. What a great way to encourage public enthusiasm for the games, along with banning school sports days or village fetes from using the word Olympic, and trying to stop them even using ‘2012’.

I seem to remember corporate sponsors have only contributed a small fraction of the funding for the games, most of it is from taxes, but surprisingly it’s the corporate sponsors in charge. It’s all about protecting the ‘brand’ and the exclusivity rights of the sponsors. 🙁

It is quite wrong. I hate the commercialism. Also cant believe the sponsors – Coke and McDonalds FFS

Yup. In the face of a looming obesity/diabetes crisis, let’s encourage sport and healthy living by building the worlds biggest McDonald’s. Tragic.

FIFA had similar sorts of rules during the 2010 WC in SA.

The black guys selling goods at the traffic lights and outside the grounds told them to F off.

😮

The black guys selling goods at the traffic lights and outside the grounds told them to F off.

How rude.

Surely you meant vuvuzela salespeople? 😆

Well actually it is in the spirit of the olympics, an exclusive corporate w@nkfest.

Sadly this seems to be a good description of the Olympics these days. Totally at odds with what it should be about. There was also a “crackdown” on schools & local communities using “Olympics” or “2012 Games” etc wording for their special events/fetes etc. Absolutely ridiculous, but sadly like so many huge sporting events/organisations, it just comes down to the greed of a few individuals.

There was an ‘official’ walking down the road, asking every shop keeper who had advertised anything to do with the Olympics to remove it from their shop window/bill-boards.

Sounds quite appropriate for a “tradition” invented by the Nazis.

you’re right –

the vuvuzela (ok even I hate those things!), flag and shirt selling salespeople, all of whom were black guys, told them to . . . .

I think if the police are unable to “get involved” with pikeys that have moved onto council land, school fields, whatever, then they surely shouldn’t be coming down on some little old lady who happens to have spelled out “i love the olympics” in cream buns?

I amazed I haven’t seen any Dirk Hoffman Motorhome signs yet…he always smuggles one into the Tour

maybe the missiles on the black of flats are to shoot down any planes towing unofficial banners!

I’m not saying anything, although I have something planned 😀 😉 😯

Interesting article in the Oxford Times about this…

http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/9710092.Brands_ban_at_Olympic_torch_event__ridiculous__say_traders/

“The rules, set out by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Game (LOCOG), state that: “Traders who are food vendors must cover up or have no visible brand names, logos or trademarks on display while trading at the event.

“This includes (but is not limited to) the trader’s stall, vehicle, signage and all related equipment.

“Food products should be sold in non-branded packaging.”

Traders can also only sell soft drinks that are sold exclusively from the Coca-Cola product range, including bottled water, and are banned from ‘promotional or marketing activity’ that claim an association with the Olympic Torch Relay or Games.
—————————————

LOCOG / IOC or whoever is responsible have clearly disappeared completely up their own arses.

That is totally wrong – we need some public protest. The torch is going through a village near where I live, I wonder if I can change my name by deepoll to “2012 Olymic games” and then protest. I would then need to be interviewed by the local media and kick up a fuss.