Financing 'Team GB's success..£10m per gold medal..

[Hollis]

Pretty interesting article this for any financial anoraks out there:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19144983

Of course, what would be really interesting is knowing how much all the other leading nations had invested in their Olympic efforts.

Looking badk through the medal tables from previous games quite staggering how different nations success has gone up and down over the years

 

[cesare]

Hasn't Canada only recently finished paying for the Montreal Olympics? Johnny will tell us in a minute, I expect.

 

[Hollis]

Hmm.. or Athens. But I wonder what the funding will be in 4/8 years time.

 

[dylanredefined]

What's that half an F35 ?

 

[Hollis]

Yes - it'll be a very small percentage of the defence budget. I'm more interested tbh in the impact of the funding on medals/success, and how much other countries are putting in.

 

[editor]

If it equates to about 80p a year per UK taxpayer, then they're welcome to it.

 

[Firky]

If the whole £9 billion of the games helps save the NHS following that ceremony then it is money well spent.

 

[Hollis]

If it equates to about 80p a year per UK taxpayer, then they're welcome to it.

Of course, that's a very good way of justifying any form of expenditure in isolation... 'well, it isn't very much per taxpayer'.. and of course, the 80p ignores the direct funding from National Lottery which undoubtedly could be put to other uses.

But that isn't my main interest here.

 

[Maggot]

It's a good way to spend lottery money.

 

[editor]

Loads of health spin offs too. If kids get inspired to go out and exercise more, then that can have benefits for the NHS.

 

[Hollis]

Loads of health spin offs too. If kids get inspired to go out and exercise more, then that can have benefits for the NHS.

Hmm, I'm dubious of this whole 'inspire a generation' thing.. Is that what's really happened - kids lack suitable role models to be interested in sport or getting fit? I don't buy it, nor do I buy this govts commitments to actually helping them if they want to.

For example..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/09/olympic-school-sports-government-cuts?newsfeed=true

 

[Maggot]

According to the Guardian on Saturday spending varied from about £2m per medal in the cycling to £8m per medal in the canoeing.

I just hope we keep it up.

 

[Casual Observer]

There's been a marked increase in big units out jogging in the last week. That's good news.