Olympics this week and I couldn't care less.

Not watching for the reasons stated is fine and noble if you would have otherwise watched and enjoyed it – ie it’s a boycott. But that’s rather blown out of the water if you didn’t bother watching the London version too.

The moral high ground is always popular in the summer holidays

It seemed perfectly logical to have it in London. Hosting a multi-billion quid (taxpayer funded) corporate bonanza in a city that is being socially cleansed of frightful plebs?

Thats the Olympic ethos in a nutshell, isn’t it?

So Rio is the logical next step from there too.

The moral high ground is always popular in the summer holidays

I’m like it all year Mike!

There’s a lot wrong with the Olympics and a lot wrong with sport in general but there’ll still be some epic performances over the next few weeks, personally I’ll focus on those.

Morally repugnant and feel that money is needed elsewhere.

It’s a fallacy that were it not used for the Olympics, “the money” would be used for poverty relief.

By that logic, nobody should spend money on anything until poverty is relieved by some arbitrary measure. Therefore, if you own a television, you are “morally repugnant” because you didn’t give “the money” to a poor person instead.

“Not watching for the reasons stated is fine and noble if you would have otherwise watched and enjoyed it – ie it’s a boycott. But that’s rather blown out of the water if you didn’t bother watching the London version too.”

Well, London (and the UK) fails to provide adequate housing for many of it’s own citizens:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/25/homeless-number-people-sleeping-rough-england-rises-almost-a-third-in-a-year

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/homeless-families-at-highest-number-since-financial-crisis-began-a6782141.html

http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/Public-Sector-News/london-councils-failing-to-meet-legal-responsibilities-on-relocating-homeless-families

A problem particularly prevalent in the Olympic borough of Newham:

http://londonist.com/2014/10/focus-e15-protest-highlights-housing-going-to-waste

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2008/jun/02/olympics2012

Meanwhile, hundreds of flats in the Olympic park currently stand empty, years after they were first built.

I’m sure you could find similar about pretty much every country in the world. And it wasn’t Cg’s reason for not watching the London olympics was it? Hence my comment 🙄

Me too. I’ll probably watch a bit of cycling and running, but that’s it.

Are the boxers wearing headgear for this one? There was talk of them doing away with headgear a little while back. Seems a bit crazy to me but I understand there are pros as well as cons.

I’m looking foreword to it – party arranged for OC on Friday just like 2012.

Then the real actions – guess the clean athlete – begins 😉

And it wasn’t Cg’s reason for not watching the London olympics was it?

Yes, it was the reason that she clearly stated.

Yes, it was the reason that she clearly stated.

0/10 for comprehension ability.

Really convert? can you not read, or are you just trolling now?

Do you not realise that “failing to provide a roof over someone’s head” means they are homeless?

I expect I’ll get into it – I like Olympics, where interesting sports you normally never hear of get showcased for a couple of weeks. However I’m certainly a lot less excited about this version than I’ve ever been – was even more interested in Atlanta – to the point I’ve only just realised it starts this week (yes despite all the pre-event hype concerning drugs and other dodgy stuff). Not quite sure why – in some ways Rio should be an excellent venue, but it seems it’s more likely to be a bit rubbish.

Kind of agree with c-g – whilst other countries also have issues with poverty and the Olympics is just a big corporate splurge ignoring ordinary struggling people, things are rather worse in Brazil. However whilst sport doesn’t put food in your belly, it is still uplifting for the masses who don’t read the Guardian.

can you not read

You are a plonker – go and have another read. Slowly, it might help.

Clue- she is not going to watch the rio olympics because of the homeless issue. She didn’t watch the London Olympics, just because – nothing to do with the London homeless issue. So posting links to London homeless issues is an irrelevance.

Go read. Learn to comprehend. Then come back and apologise 😉

Whilst we’re picking apart c-gs comment, I can’t help feeling this would have been a better punchline:

Not watching an event hosted by a country that treats some of its citizens in such a despicable manner by failing to provide a roof over their heads and sanitation.

and I won’t be watching this one either

Hadn’t really thought about it but love all sports and will get into it I’m sure.

Seems the Brazilians have finished all the sporting venues? Better than expected then. Hope they are able to host a great olympics.

“You are a plonker – go and have another read. Slowly, it might help.

Clue- she is not going to watch the rio olympics because of the homeless issue. She didn’t watch the London Olympics, just because – nothing to do with the London homeless issue. So posting links to London homeless issues is an irrelevance.

Go read. Learn to comprehend. Then come back and apologise “

Actually, she hasn’t given a reason she didn’t watch the London games.

I read her post very slowly. 😀

Actually, she hasn’t given a reason she didn’t watch the London games.

Very true, but I’m taking ‘wimminz logic innit. 😆 ‘ as a sign it’s not connected 😉

I didn’t watch the London Olympics either.

may not have a specific reason attached but when it immediately follows

Not watching an event hosted by a country that treats some of its citizens in such a despicable manner by failing to provide a roof over their heads and sanitation.

it would be quite easy to infer that the same reason applied.

So can we stop bickering?

it would be quite easy to infer that the same reason applied.

No it wouldn’t

Yes, bickering is silly – off to do something more useful!

I think with everything else that’s been happening in the world there’s not been much room for the Olympics in the news. It’s quite refreshing actually, when you compare with the build up to the World Cup or the Euros where everyday we’re hearing that Rooney has stubbed his toe or the teams scrambled eggs were cold. Sports events are ridiculously over hyped these days so it’s good if it’s taking a back seat to more important news. Saying that I enjoy hearing about a young farmer winning a medal for obliterating clay doos then the following week driving a combine harvester. A lot of the competitors at the Olympics don’t make a lot of money out what they do and sacrifice a lot to get there. I think it’s great my son trains alongside an Olympic athlete and hopefully it will inspire him.

You’re all winners, here

Guys … I’m not a total killjoy but would prefer to see a pared down version. That means egos need to be left at the door and no corporate nonsense either. Clearly no figures can be extrapolated as regards how many idle peeps have been inspired (jeez, I hate that word) and haven’t a clue whether schools or athletic clubs had noticed an uptake. Perhaps the teachers on here could give an insight?

The London Olympics were at the start of austerity, I had been dealing with failing health (and death) of a parent. I saw a hospital that was short-staffed, a ward that had seen better days, beds sandwiched so close together that there was no privacy when dying. I felt that people, especially the elderly, deserved better than that.

clodhopper – thanks for those links and will now take a read.

I think there will be a lot of health scares for athletes, especially those on the water, I’m amazed it was not moved and I don’t blame those not going due to zika.

Meanwhile, hundreds of flats in the Olympic park currently stand empty, years after they were first built.

Why?

Least excited by an Olympics ever and that includes lower than Atlanta and Athens. The whole Russian fiasco casts such a huge cloud it is hard to get excited. WWE is probably more honest than the Olympics has ever been. Bit embarrassing that some of the UK’s athletes like Lizzy and Farah are also going under a drugs cloud.

The whole IOC needs chopping down in size, core sports the rest can go. I mean bmx & golf FFS 🙄

Lightweights, I can be morally repugnant without any sporting events at all…

I won’t be watching Olympic Tennis, golf or rugby and I am big fans of those sports. They are just not Olympic sports.

Guys … I’m not a total killjoy but would prefer to see a pared down version. That means egos need to be left at the door

Same could be said for STW…. 🙂

cinnamon_girl – Member

Why?

This story starts with most of them being sold to Qatar for over a quarter of a billion pound loss. (that’s even before you get into the associated vacant plots that were given away along with the east village, with room for another 2000 flats)

I won’t be watching Olympic Tennis, golf or rugby and I am big fans of those sports. They are just not Olympic sports.

Yeah, but most of the other sports that are are Olympic sports are mainly just…. you know… a bit shit. I really don’t get the idea of watching a sport you wouldn’t already watch just because its the Olympics? If i couldn’t GAS about rowing, or squash, or horsey things, or whatever, then why watch it once every four years just because some fantastically corrupt people deem you should do so, and some muggins country has been had over for several billion for the pleasure of hosting it?

This story starts with most of them being sold to Qatar for over a quarter of a billion pound loss. (that’s even before you get into the associated vacant plots that were given away along with the east village, with room for another 2000 flats)

The Atheletes village and the development site were all bought at the same time by Delancey Qatari Diar. The development sites weren’t “given” away. The accommodation blocks once converted into apartments together with the sites were bought at market value in a competitive tender overseen by the National Audit Office.

Social housing blocks had already been pre-allocated to a local housing association

HTH.

P-Jay – Member
it seems a bit empty cheering for someone you don’t know because they’re a Brit

This. I’ve never been someone who simply supports british athletes. It’s one reason why I HATE the BBC coverage of most sporting events…they often only show the british performances at the expense of everyone else’s, meaning you miss out on any sense of rivalry, competition, build up, context, excitement. They fill time with montages and athlete back stories and miss out live action. It’s crap, one of the main reasons I don’t have a TV license.

As for the Olympics, when’s it on again? I don’t really have any sense of what’s going on with it, or when the sports I like are on.

Stoner – Member

The accommodation blocks once converted into apartments together with the sites were bought at market value in a competitive tender overseen by the National Audit Office.

A deal in which they’re predicted to make over £1bn profit on a £575 million investment while we lose £275 million. Hard to see how it could be more competitive really.

A deal in which they’re predicted to make over £1bn profit on a £575 million investment while we lose £275 million. Hard to see how it could be more competitive really.

A bargain compared with Hinckley Point!

“The Atheletes village and the development site were all bought at the same time by Delancey Qatari Diar. The development sites weren’t “given” away. The accommodation blocks once converted into apartments together with the sites were bought at market value in a competitive tender overseen by the National Audit Office.

Social housing blocks had already been pre-allocated to a local housing association”

There is no social housing at the Olympic village. There was no rehousing of existing local authority tenants in the area, with replacement of their secured tenancies, unless they moved out of the area. The percentage of ‘affordable’ (a laughable concept at best) housing has shrunk dramatically from what was promised. The whole thing is, sadly, a complete social failure.

Somebody has made an awful lot of money from the London Olympics. And it wasn’t the taxpayers.

There were 1379 units allocated to triathlon housing association

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Thanks chaps for enlightening me. Zero accountability and the tax payer just keeps bending over.

Zero accountability

Gibberish