The Torch Relay which passed through Southend recently has definitely wetted my appetite for the London 2012 Olympics, despite the travel disruption, having to work additional hours for no extra pay and being on an unsocial shift pattern from now until the end of the Paralympics. I was one of the lucky few who managed to get Olympics tickets and can not wait to see Tennis, Hockey, Weightlifting and boxing next weekend.
Almost all Olympic Games in my lifetime have seen much negativity in the respective host city in the lead up to the games and the usual inevitable last minute glitches. Unlike previous games there hasn't been the minute mad dash to get stadiums completed the day before the Opening Ceremony but London hasn't been immune from the last minute glitches with the G4S fiasco and the militant unions threatening to cause unnecessary carnage on London's buses and at Border control on Thursday.
Despite these highlighted issues which I am sure will be occupying games organisers time this week, there was however a somewhat more self inflicting gaffe which didn't get the press coverage that it deserved.
Once of the responsibilities of the British Olympic Association (BOA) is to issue media accreditation for all the different events. One of the main reasons that London was awarded the 2012 Olympics was because it is a cosmopolitan city which was successfully exploited by the London bid team back in 2005.
I was surprise to hear this week that that the BOA thought it was justified to refuse the The Voice, Britain's leading Black newspaper accreditation for the Olympic Stadium to cover the Athletics events despite Black athletes making up a large proportion of the Team GB squad in London, the contribution Black athletes have made to Team GB over the years and the fact that The Voice's headquarters are based just a stones throw away from the Olympic Stadium.
The campaign to reverse this decision was spearheaded by sports radio station Talksport after they exposed that othe niche newspapers like the Jewish Chronicle for example were given accreditation. I'm not saying that the Jewish Chronicle shouldn't have received accreditation but that it was short sighted to refuse The Voice newspaper. Fortunately the BOA finally saw reason and media accreditation was awarded to The Voice.
Despite these hitch's and some loss of public confidence in security arrangements you can feel the buzz that this once in a lifetime event is upon us and I for one can not wait.
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