Well, that was really worth the money........
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/olympic-legacyThere are now fewer adults playing sport regularly than before the London 2012 Olympics, according to new figures, but the government claims it is still on track to buck the trend of previous Games and inspire more grassroots participation.
The Sport England figures show that of 29 sports that recorded a change in once-a-week participation figures, only nine showed an increase, while 20 suffered a decline. And while 15.4 million people played sport at least once a week in April 2012, a year later that figure has declined to 15.3 million. A central plank of London's bid to host the Games was to "inspire a generation" to play more sport.
Labour immediately called the figures disappointing and claimed they showed the government was failing to deliver the Olympic legacy. But Sport England, which invests around £300m of lottery and exchequer funding into sport annually, said that while a post-Olympic surge had tailed off, overall participation was still 530,000 higher than in 2011.
It claimed that the positive effect of hosting the Olympics should be credited with boosting participation throughout 2012, not simply immediately after the Games.
Sport England has also been given a new remit to focus two-thirds of its funding on 14-to-25-year-olds and said the figures showed a marginal increase in that age group for the first time. Some sports, such as women's boxing, have shown a surge in participation thanks to the exploits of Nicola Adams and others.
"It does start to show the investment strategy is starting to have an effect. There's a lot more to do, but for the first time in a long time we're seeing those figures move in the right direction," said Sport England's chairman, Nick Bitel.
Sport England said that when the figures were last published, in December 2012, they showed 750,000 more people playing sport than the previous year. Six months on, despite the coldest March for 50 years, growth of 530,000 has been maintained, it said.
But in a year-on-year comparison the figures are down, and the shadow sports minister, Clive Efford, said they showed the government had no coherent strategy. "There should have been a significant increase in participation following the Olympics. It is not acceptable to explain away these figures by saying we have had a bad winter," he said.
Football in particular will be alarmed by the figures, which show that the number of people playing the sport had declined by 258,600 on the previous year.
Critics of the government's strategy say that any gains are likely to be undermined by cuts to local authority budgets, which mean that facilities will have to close, and a school sports policy that continues to attract criticism despite a recent £150m funding announcement for primary schools.
Sports minister Hugh Robertson insisted the figures showed that the government was "on track" to do what no previous host nation had done and use the Games to inspire greater grassroots participation. "We remain absolutely committed to delivering a lasting sports participation legacy from London 2012. The long-term trend shows we are on track, with 1.4 million more people playing sport regularly since we won the bid in 2005."
Comments
So it went up a lot, has come down a bit but is still higher than before and all this during a recession and a terrible winter (My son didn't "participate" in playing football for months as his games kept getting called off.
And these figures are for adults. What about under 18s?
There will always be those that want to put a negative spin on anything Olympic-legacy related. They are still disappointed that the whole thing was a roaring success and they never got to say 'I told you so...'
What bugs me is that the main 'legacy', the superb stadium, as was the case with the Manchester city stadium, will be handed over to a bunch of multi millionaires at a 'peppercorn' rent for professional sport to be played there. West Ham will gain a tremendous advantage over every other London club from what is in effect a government subsidy. I expect the Monopolies Commission to look into this ....not
Police are looking for man in his 60s in a Charlton Athletic top with the initials "CP" on it. He is believed to answer to name "Paddy".
The biggest reduction in males participation in sport is the closure of boozers across the country resulting in numerous football teams folding
Save the british boozer save the olympic legacy
Of course there is the money issue as well.
Sure a number of people watching the Olympics were only viewing it because of the occasion and feel good factor without any intention of taking up a sport.
I have no idea what it cost, nor the impact on the economy.
But it showed the UK, and London in particular, in a fantastic light and brought the top echelons of non-football sport to the heart of people that would never have been properly exposed to it.
As for legacy ? My 12yr old niece didn't 12 months ago, but now goes an athletics club on a Tues and Thur, and competes on Sundays. My pal tonight is currently training for two triathlons.
I'm guessing they are not alone.
Had a good time watching the Olympics.
However I would have preferred the money to be spent on new hospitals and the health service rather than Seb Coes knighthood fund (or whatever establishment gong he will receive)!
Or a pay rise for those hard working civil servants.
Or some more managers for health trusts - or interest payments on PPI projects.
Personally I loved it. Was immensely proud and no amount of crap spouted by doom mongers either before or after has changed my view.
I get the chance to run the five mile anniversary run next month as well which finishes with a lap of the stadium - can't wait to say I've run on the same track and crossed the same finishing line as Bolt, Farah, Ennis et al.
Loved it and the mood around London when it was on was brilliant.
The Olympics in London was a once in a lifetime event, an unbelievable experience that created unforgettable memories for millions of Britons.
Who gives a toss about 'legacy' seriously? For those couple of weeks people forgot all the doom and gloom and had a wonderful time, that's what life is about isn't it?