英闻天下——151 2012 Review: London Olympics

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　　"The first legacy of course is the delivery of a great Games, if you don't deliver a great games, it makes any discussion about legacy very difficult, so the best way to create sustainable legacy is to deliver a great games."

 

　　And indeed London didn't disappoint.

 

　　The games, of course, seeing Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time, Usain Bolt becoming the first person to ever win the 100m twice. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei enter female athletes for the first time. Tennis star Andy Murray winning gold in his home country. China and the United States battling it out for number one in the medal count all provided moments for a spectacular event.

 

　　The President of the International Olympic Committee Jaques Rogge was happy saying London promised an athletes games and that is exactly what they gave. Adding that they had a splendid Olympic Village, state-of-the-art venues², 44 world records, 117 Olympic records.

 

　　However, the London Games weren't without controversy³ though. Whether it be surrounding the security and transportation before the Olympics began or the competition issues during the Games.

 

　　One of those cases involving three badminton teams, which were disqualified after the Badminton World Federation⁴ or BWF found them guilty of not using their best efforts and conducting oneself in a manner that was disgraceful to the sport.

 

　　After the disqualification, the President of the BWF Dr. Kang Young Joong said they would take appropriate action to avoid similar incidents in the future. Adding that they would assess the present rules and regulations, while looking to create increased awareness⁵ among players and their coaches about the ethical⁶ standards in the sport.

 

　　Unfortunately, this wasn't the only incident. Another story was the doping rumors⁷ surrounding Chinese swimmers. Most notably⁸ the 16-year-old Ye Shiwen, who took home two golds and set two records in the process.

 

　　The speculation⁹ coming from Ye's significant improvement over a two-year period in the 400m individual medley¹⁰ as she knocked three seconds off her best time to win the gold.

 

　　The controversy coming then when a few commentators¹¹ suggested she was not doing it naturally. However, The British Olympic Association stating at the time that Ye had passed all the drugs tests and that she deserved the recognition for her talent.

 

　　But despite these controversies¹², Lord Sebastian Coe says the Games have left a positive impact on the community, the athletes and in the lives of young people.

 

　　"For me the biggest legacy is the change that the games have brought to the lives of young people in sports participation¹³ and in the neighborhoods they live in whether it is young people with disability. The Paralympics have changed so many of those attitudes, but it is about changing the lives of young people."

 

　　So as we move forward towards Rio 2016, the hope there is to create another spectacular games, creating a lasting¹⁴ legacy that showcases Brazil and South America for the first time ever.

 

　　The Chair of the IOC Coordination¹⁵ Committee for Rio 2016, Nawal EL Moutawakel says Rio will be ready and that they will put on a show.

 

　　"Rio has the energy, Rio has the willingness, Rio has the determination to leave a great legacy for the city and for the country. You will see an entire transformation¹⁶ of Rio because of the Olympic Games. So many projects that are underway to make the city of Rio ready by 2016, so that it is one of the greatest games."

 

　　For CRI, I'm Nate Schlabach.

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