SPORTS AND BIG MONEY: AN UNHOLY BUT NECESSARY ALLIANCE?

Yesterday evening, we watched the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic from the comfort of the sofa in our sitting room. It was spectacular, much more than what I was expecting. It depicted the evolution of the country from an idyllic agrarian society to rich but ugly industrial giant and finally to a modern computer savvy, compassionate social democracy. Danny Boyle and his team did this with hilarious comedy of Mr. Bean, punk of the bucket drums and playfulness of Her Majesty the Queen.  Laughter, glamour and controlled chaos.  

 Of course, it was not a lesion in history, or a commentary on the politico-economic status of Britain. It celebrated the achievements of the country without triumphalism and carefully kept off the painful and risqué subjects. It tacitly celebrated the golden jubilee of James Bond Films and the first hit song of the Beetles by giving due spaces to Daniel Craig and Sir Paul.

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron was very impressive with unexpected composition and filled to the brim with symbolisms: one petal for each participating country and passing of the standard to the younger generation. 

Did you notice that the big multinational sponsors were conspicuous by their absence? Probably it was arranged to appear so at the last minute in the face of quite strong adverse public reaction to McDonald's and Coca-Cola sponsoring the Olympics. 

Olympic Games celebrate the excellence of the physical capability of the human species and promote freedom and justice through the code of fair play.  Certainly many multinationals do not actively practice either of these ideals in their single-minded pursuit to increase their wealth. 

No one can justify promoting these companies through Olympic Games but and this is a big but, where else can you get the money to make the Olympics so full of glamour and glitter? We have made the sports so expensive that we cannot pay for them without using our begging bowls to get money to subsidise the tickets. 

I saw a documentary on BBC a few months ago about some East Europeans using their children to beg on the streets of London. They used that money to build big houses and buy new cars back home. I, similar to most of the Britons was very angry and upset. We wanted our government to stop this practice and prosecute these people.

Are we any different while using the unscrupulous money to subsidise our luxuries?   We have probably become so used to our luxuries that we are doomed forever to this unholy alliance of sports and big money.