Recent news stories* exposed how the true cost of hosting the Olympics is 2½ times (or more) higher than the oft quoted figure of £9.3 Billion, which itself is far higher than the original £2.4bn estimate. Not included in that figure is the full cost of staging the Olympic Torch Relay for which local council tax payers will be footing a sizeable chunk of the bill, in part, because of where they are forced to shop and, in part, due to bad planning which, in turn, is allowing LOCOG to generate income from local authority budgets... Read More »

Regular readers of my blog at cowanglobal.com will know that I frequently return to the topic of strategy for the development sport and the ineptitude of consecutive governments on the subject.

However, as with all aspects of life there are also a number of apparently non sporting government decisions which will have a significant effect on grass roots sport and its ability to grow – or even stand still. As any half-way competent strategist will tell you 'cause and effect' should always be considered as 'big picture' considerations where, unfortunately.. Read More »

Around the time when London won the 2012 Olympic games, we (Gary and Sharon Bassett) were also preparing to invest all we had in a grand celebration of sport. The Olympics remind the world of the importance of sport to us as individuals, as communities and as nations. Through a significant career change, we set out to remind those in our world of the most important people in sport – children.

Both of our earliest sporting memories, and some of our fondest, are from days at primary school. These set us on a path to enjoy sport.. Read More »

By Debbie Lye, International Development Director at UK Sport

Having been involved in the genesis of International Inspiration in 2007, it was a great moment when the announcement came that the programme has now reached 20 countries.

International Inspiration, London 2012's international legacy programme, has had an impact on the lives of 12 million children and young people, many of them from some of the world's most disadvantaged communities, and to know we achieved our goal by June last year. It is a proud achievement to have pulled off the "2012" double well.. Read More »

By Celia Brackenridge

Everyone knows about the Olympics … most people know about the Paralympics … some know about the Cultural Olympiad … but very few know about the pre-Olympic Convention or, to give it its full name, the International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS).

ICSEMIS is the name for an event many decades old but now rebranded and coordinated by a unique partnership - the International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC), International Sports.. Read More »

By James Emmett

It is very easy to scoff indignantly at the government'’s decision to increase funding for the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies by over 100 per cent. And when on the morning of 5th December David Cameron himself gave the go-ahead to raise the fireworks budget for London’s Olympics by £41 million, a nation did indeed sputter into its coffee. And with good reason. LOCOG, the organisers of the London Games, sensibly pledged in the immediate aftermath of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 that they would not attempt to compete with the scale, nor the cost, of their Chinese.. Read More »

By Matt Kendall

So, 2012 won't get 2 million people more active – we gave up the target. Well why not? What a once in a lifetime opportunity the Olympics is, and here we are 7 and a half months from the opening ceremony and where's the plan? Maybe big events that make everyone sit up and take note don't work? So, when we see a British Handball, volleyball or fencing team compete in London this coming Summer, won't we be inspired, Wimbledon effect-style to have a go? My assertion is that 'of course we will' its just that we won't have anywhere to send those inspired people.. Read More »

The appointment of David Beckham as an ambassador with Sainsbury's is another indication of how next year's Paralympic Games is striking a chord with the public. Having watched and been part of the build-up to the Games, it has been fascinating to see a very healthy 'buzz' around London 2012, helped by the excellent media coverage surrounding the event.

In PR terms, the appointment of Beckham should be regarded as something as a coup, owing to the ex-Manchester United man's own iconic stature on-and off the pitch. It is vital that the.. Read More »