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Games tsar will ensure 2012 legacy

July 26th, 2009 | No Comments

The government is to counter criticism that it is failing to deliver on the promises that helped win the 2012 Olympic Games for London by appointing a “sports legacy tsar”, to get more people participating in sport and help attract private sector investment.

Ministers are looking for a high-profile figure who could be a former Olympic athlete or an influential name who has experience of running a sporting body.

With the Olympic flame due to be lit in the new stadium in Stratford, east London, three years from tomorrow, there is increasing optimism that organisers will deliver the games on time and within the Â£9.3bn budget, despite the impact of the recession. But opposition MPs and senior sports figures have told the Guardian that there remain serious questions over the legacy of the 2012 Games. In particular, there are concerns over promises to use the Olympics to increase sporting activity and fight obesity.

Critics claim that “four years have been wasted” in devising a strategy to deliver on the promise of getting 1 million people taking part in more sport by 2012 and a broader pledge to get 1 million more participating in physical activity, including walking and gardening.

Organisations including the British Olympic Association and the CCPR (Central Council of Physical Recreation), which represents hundreds of governing bodies, have voiced concerns that plans to use the Olympics to make a “once in a lifetime” change in the population’s sporting habits are yet to have any impact at grassroots level. The shadow sports minister, Hugh Robertson, said: “The lack of a proper strategy for delivering our participation promises is the single biggest problem with the Olympics.”

The Liberal Democrat Olympic spokesman, Tom Brake, said “alarm bells must be ringing in government”, which “may have bitten off more than it can chew”. The CCPR chair, Brigid Simmonds, added: “We have been saying for some time that the Olympics will have a long sunrise and a very short sunset. If we don’t get it right, this huge opportunity will be lost. With three years to go, let’s grasp it and let’s get on with it.” In response, it is understood that the sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, who remains confident that the targets can be achieved, plans to convene a new team led by a “legacy tsar” to co-ordinate sport participation.

The government believes that it has put all the necessary building blocks in place, including getting the various agencies working harmoniously and doubling sports funding in the three years since 2005, but acknowledges that a more co-ordinated national approach is required.

“Some regions are getting on and doing it and others are sitting back and waiting for something to happen,” Sutcliffe said. “It’s got to be about inspiration as well. The athletes need to be out in their communities inspiring people.”

It will also co-ordinate a drive to get private backers involved in the legacy push. Adidas will announce that it is rolling out its “sportszone” concept around the country following a trial in London, and there are hopes that other Olympic sponsors will want to get involved with legacy projects. Figures released last week by Sport England, the body charged with delivering the 1 million participation increase and investing Â£480m of lottery and public funds in grassroots sport between 2009 and 2013, revealed that progress appeared to have stalled.

Quarterly figures showed that of 31 sports measured according to how many people played them at least once a week, only table tennis recorded an increase. Nine – including swimming, football, gymnastics and rowing – showed a decline and the rest showed no change.

In order to achieve its target, Sport England must boost the 6.8 million people playing sport for 30 minutes at least three times a week by 1 million. The other 1 million, to be delivered through other government agencies including the National Health Service, must be doing some form of physical activity for 30 minutes at least three times a week. Sport England argues that the quarterly survey is merely a guide and that the next annual survey, due in December, will give a clearer idea of progress under a plan launched earlier this year to invest the bulk of its lottery and public funds directly through sport governing bodies.

It was partly the bold legacy promises made by London Organising Committee chairman, Seb Coe, that the Olympics would transform the East End of London, inspire a generation of young people through sport and deliver health benefits for the entire nation that helped convince International Olympic Committee members to vote for the city in 2005.

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Police powers for 2012 Olympics alarm critics

July 21st, 2009 | No Comments

â€¢ Civil rights activists say new law curbs free speech
â€¢ Rules could allow officials to raid private homes

The government was accused tonight of giving itself draconian powers to clamp down on protests at the 2012 Olympics. Critics said the powers were so broad they would potentially give private contractors the right to forcibly enter people’s homes and seize materials.

Opposition parties and civil liberties groups criticised the powers as top security officials announced plans concerned with keeping the games, to be held mostly in London, safe from terrorist attack and from “domestic extremists” and public order problems like disruptive protests.

The legislation is directed at curbing advertising near the Olympic venues. A government spokesperson said the laws, passed in 2006, were meant to stop “over-commercialisation” of the games.

But civil rights campaigners are worried about several clauses in the London Olympic Games and Games Act 2006. Section 19(4) could cover protest placards, they said, as it read: “The regulations may apply in respect of advertising of any kind including in particular â€“ (a) advertising of a non-commercial nature, and (b) announcements or notices of any kind.”

Section 22 allows a “constable or enforcement officer” to “enter land or premises” where they believe such an advert is being shown or produced. It allows for materials to be destroyed, and for the use of “reasonable force”. The power to force entry requires a court warrant. Causing still further concern is a section granting the powers to an enforcement officer appointed by Olympic Delivery Authority.

Anita Coles, policy officer for Liberty, said: “This goes much further than protecting the Olympic logo for commercial use. Regulations could ban signs urging boycotts of sponsors with sweat shops. Then private contractors designated by the Olympic authority could enter homes and other premises in the vicinity, seizing or destroying private property.”

The Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said: “This sort of police action runs the risk of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The police should take a deep breath and read the excellent report from the chief inspector of constabulary on the tolerance of protest. We should aim to show the Chinese that you can run a successful Olympics without cracking down on protesters and free speech.”

Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, said: “This is a government who just doesn’t understand civil liberties â€“ they may claim these powers won’t be used but the frank truth is no one will believe them. Neither the police nor any other official should be invading people’s homes for what appear to be commercial reasons.”

A senior government security official said the powers would not be used to suppress protests or political placards. And the assistant commissioner, Chris Alison, in charge of the policing of the 2012 Olympics, said: “We are not going into people’s houses to stop people protesting.”

But Peter McNeil, who opposes the staging of equestrian events in Greenwich park, told BBC London: “This is dreadful. It’s bullying taken to another level.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the legal provisions on games advertising were meant to “prevent ambush marketing â€“ not prevent or restrict lawful protests”.

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Killed British soldier had Olympic hopes

July 9th, 2009 | No Comments

Comrades pay tribute to Trooper Christopher Whiteside, who had planned to push for place in British fencing team

The seventh British soldier killed in Afghanistan within a week had hoped to compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, his comrades said today.

Trooper Christopher Whiteside, of The Light Dragoons, died when an improvised explosive device went off near Gereshk, in Helmand province, on Tuesday night.

Whiteside was a talented swordsman who had hoped to begin training for a possible place in the British fencing team on his return from Afghanistan.

The 20-year-old’s friends in the Light Dragoons recalled him demonstrating his fencing skills at a squadron barbecue using a broomstick.

Whiteside was the 176th British soldier to die in Afghanistan since the US-led invasion in 2001.

He endured four days of some of the most intense fighting ever experienced in the country before his death, his commanding officer said.

Whiteside â€“ known as “Norm” to his friends after former the Manchester United footballer Norman Whiteside â€“ was born in Blackpool.

He joined the army in 2005 but was discharged a year later following a serious knee injury. He signed up again as a soldier in March last year and started his first tour in Afghanistan this year.

He had been taking part in Operation Panchai Palang (Panther’s Claw), a US-led assault against the Taliban in the central Helmand river valley, prior to next month’s Afghan presidential elections.

His commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Gus Fair, said today: “Trooper Whiteside had only been in the regiment for a short time, but had established a reputation as an excellent soldier.

“Norm had been tested in some of the most intense fighting ever experienced in Afghanistan for four days prior to his death, and had never been found wanting.

“He will be remembered as a soldier at the top of his profession, who gave his all for his friends and who has been cruelly taken from us.”

The defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth, who yesterday warned that more soldiers would die in Afghanistan where the conflict would be “hard and dangerous”, paid tribute to Whiteside.

“He was a courageous soldier who fought back from injury to rejoin the army, and it is clear his fitness, determination and sense of humour were hugely admired by both his comrades and his commanders,” he said.

“Their thoughts, and mine, are with his grieving family at this difficult time.”

Six other soldiers have died in Afghanistan since the start of July.

Captain Ben Babington-Browne, of 22 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, died in a helicopter crash in the south of the country on Monday.

The other five soldiers died in combat in what the MoD described as the “main push” of Operation Panchai Palang, said to be one of the largest British soldiers have made.

Lance Corporal Dane Elson, 22, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, was killed by an explosion on Sunday.

Lance Corporal David Dennis, 29, of the Light Dragoons, and Private Robert Laws, 18, of 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment, died on Saturday.

Dennis was killed by an improvised explosive device while patrolling on foot. Laws was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thorneloe, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and Trooper Joshua Hammond, 18, of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died in a blast near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand, last Wednesday.

Hundreds of people turned out to pay their respects when their bodies were returned to the UK on Monday.

Thorneloe is the most senior army officer to have been killed on operations since the Falklands war.

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Threat of cyber attack on London Olympics

July 8th, 2009 | No Comments

â€¢ Met already investigating possible front companies
â€¢ Transport, sponsorship deals and ticketing could be targets

International criminal networks are preparing to target the London 2012 Olympics, a senior Scotland Yard officer warned today.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams said police were investigating a series of front companies that could be used in complex frauds carried out on the internet.

Williams said the multibillion-pound sporting event was proving a tempting target for criminals. “There is a lot of work to be done with e-crime and the Olympics. First of all we need to get the money sorted and there is an imperative about that now,” she said.

“We know from Canada and Beijing that the threats are real and they have grown in the last six months.”

Speaking in Manchester at the Association of Chief Police Officers annual conference, Williams said criminals might be preparing sophisticated electronic attacks on transport infrastructures, sponsorship deals and ticketing.

She added: “These are all potentially subject to abuses and we need to understand these and put plans in place very quickly now.

“That is a projected area of work and it is where e-crime meets the more significant threats and terrorism threats.”

Williams said the Metropolitan police had established a specialist team to examine the threat of electronic and internet attacks on the 2012 Olympic games. Investigators needed “to move from business as usual to an extra amount of effort” as the start of the games neared, she said.

“We will need some extra money to do this, which we hope that the Home Office will give to e-crime.

“We are starting to see some precursor activity, we are starting to see companies being set up in what we believe are false names in anticipation of fraud and other types of criminal activity during the run-up to the Olympics.”

She warned that cyber-criminals were determined, sophisticated and flourishing as police continued to grapple with the difficulties of tackling internet crime.

In recent months hospitals, police forces and major private companies, including well-known online shops, have been targeted.

“Very recently we have had three London hospitals badly affected â€“ that was identified as computer viruses overloading the systems,” said Williams.

“We have had police forces who have lost considerable parts of their capability for considerable periods of time and we have had attacks that have stopped other public services.”

The conference heard that 3m online crimes take place in Britain every year, about one every 10 seconds.

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