Most of the Sport England funding comes from lottery tickets, which I don't buy. The whole concept of us being "represented" by athletes is patently absurd. How on Earth is a professional athlete competing for their own reasons representative of me?
in the Olympics (and presumably some other competitions) the athletes represent their country. Many of them are proud to represent their country and will believe that any success they have is also (partly) their country's success and should be shared by and with their fellow countrymen.
Oh right, I'm a "miserable fucker" and "selfish" because I don't think people winning medals has any real impact on the lives of ordinary people and the connections between these people and us are ridiculously tenuous? Funny definition of selfish you've got there, tbh. I would've thought, for example, spending £9bn on a giant sponsorship jamboree/corporate profiteering exercise in the middle of recession would more count as "selfish", but maybe that's just me.
the selfish bit relates to the fact that you appear to believe athletes only represent themselves and don't care about anyone else suggesting that you would have the same selfish viewpoint.
if that's the case then how do you explain the stateless athletes who are competing? which country are they representing?
I agree. We should have told the world we couldn't afford to host it and just cancel it. Or cut the events down to about 20, host it on an existing sports field over one weekend and put out some sandwiches to keep the 200 spectators happy.
You haven't explained why I feel they should represent all the various people and their variety of interests, other than sharing a nationality with us? And what the fuck has selfishness got to do with anything? What's generous about competing in athletic events?
Those competing under the Olympic flag are not necessarily stateless.
Are you suggesting the Government should have done everything themselves?
you mean towns.
sentimental patriotism, as opposed to the avaricious type
At any price?
we were never asked as a country if we wanted to host the olympics
Totally unaccountable organisation given free reign to do whatever the hell they like by mostly unaccountable organisation. Price of doing business
So if you were an athlete you would be unhappy that anyone else shared in your success and the people of the country should continue with their own dreary lives?
Should we have referendums on these things or a TV phone poll?
newsflash: most athletes lead dreary lives.
it shouldn't be left up to government ministers, former runners and foreign princelings to make the decision for us.
Newsflash: The country includes them too.
so now you're saying that it's dreary for athletes at the olympics.
Who should then?
Where did I say that?
