The same
could be said of the host nation. It is scarcely believable that one year ago
this week, many of England’s cities – none more so than the capital itself –
were gripped by civil unrest not seen in 3 decades. Rioters, most but by no
means all young, unemployed, isolated adults starved of wealth and
ambition by the grinding recession, leapt at the opportunity to join forces and
take pot shots at the established order – government, capitalism, the law –
which they held generally responsible for their predicament.
Or rather,
whoever they considered to represent that established order. The random,
unpredictable and grossly unjust selection of victims and the bewildering lack
of any meaningful aims or common purpose meant the riots failed to unite a
suffering generation and threatened to tear our society even further apart than it was already.
Thousands
of arrests and hundreds of years in jail terms later, the justice system’s
integrity has been reinforced, and criminal records threaten to blight the
careers of scores of unlikely criminals. The establishment won, but no-one was
celebrating.
What a
contrast to the mood of the country as a whole this past fortnight. British
sporting triumph on a scale not seen in anyone’s lifetime has both united and
inspired millions as Olympic fever has swept the nation. There have been many captivating
moments, but last Saturday night, in particular, will live long in the memory
of anyone who witnessed it.
Such
momentous occasions, however, are merely the rewarding final chapter of the
story of Team GB’s success. Just 16 years ago, the nation was embarrassed to
return from the Atlanta Games with only the legendary partnership of Redgrave
and Pinsent having taken gold.
But two
years earlier, the launch of the National Lottery had represented a far more
significant turning point in Britain’s Olympic fortunes. And having won the
bid, seven years ago, to host the 2012 Games and thus delivered the ideal stage
on which to demonstrate that dramatic turnaround, the Beijing performance
represented an unexpectedly strong platform on which to build.
In a few
weeks, after the Paralympics have also come and gone, the focus shifts to the
complex task of keeping the promise of a lasting legacy upon which that
bid was won.
On the
most visible aspect of what London 2012 leaves behind – the venues – work will
begin almost immediately to downsize the Olympic Stadium to what is a much more
sustainable scale. Other venues on the Park will be modified and made available
for public use. Those iconic city-centre settings – Horse Guards Parade et al –
will reassume their regular purposes.
The next
biggest project is to continue to revitalise the east end of London. Ken
Livingstone once claimed that a successful bid to host the Olympics was the
only way to persuade central government to stump up the cash to regenerate an
area so unjustly left behind as the rest of the city prospered. Political
points-scoring or not, it emphasises the rare opportunity the Games legacy
presents.
Finally,
of course, it is hoped that witnessing such sporting excellence as we have seen
over the past two weeks will “inspire a generation” to take up sport and be the
Team GB stars of the future. The efforts of the country’s own class of 2012
will surely help, but the hard work is only just beginning, and the outcomes
(good or bad) will take many years to be realised.
Meanwhile,
the country’s attention will return to the nitty-gritty – you know, recession,
austerity, fuel prices, the Euro… and of course, historic levels of youth
unemployment that will continue to jeopardise the hopes and dreams of that very
generation – the same generation, some of whose members were driven to such
despair and desperation last summer.
Talking of
despair and desperation, as the dreaded closing ceremony approaches, the Sage
is taking solace from this thought – next weekend, the Premier League circus
rolls back into town. Phew.
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