Where's Tennis?

While this morning's papers report on Chris Hoy's delight at having a brand new velodrome emblazoned with his name and ready well in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014, my thoughts turned to another sport.

It's tennis.  Scotland has the best tennis player since records began yet tennis isn't included in the list of sports for Glasgow 2014.  For years it's been on the list of approved optional sports and has featured in every Commonwealth Youth Games programme, but it didn't make an appearance in a full Games programme until the 2010 Commonwealth Games when Jocelyn Rae and Colin Fleming (both Scotland) won gold in the mixed doubles.  Then a total of 23 nations were represented by at least one player in either the men's singles, women's singles or mixed doubles.  Scotland provided 2 in the singles and 2 in the doubles.

There may be problems achieving the attendance of the 'big' players owing to their 12-month international schedules, but surely that should not have deterred the decision makers from including the sport in the Glasgow programme.  Sadly Rae and Fleming will now not be able to defend their title.

Cycling is, like tennis, another optional sport. In 2010 Scotland won one gold, one silver and one bronze and on the back of that result a new velodrome was built.

I admit I'm an ardent fan of Andy Murray but I'm saddened to note that his own country decided not to include his sport in the 2014 programme.  It doesn't say much for the politicians and others who have recently been standing in line to praise Andy's superb achievements does it?

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European Olympics Anyone?

The European Union want to get on the Olympics gravy train and intend to introduce their own version of the Games by 2015.

We already have the Commonwealth Games which Scotland is hosting in 2014, but will the EU's latest decision dilute the standard of international sports?

The unelected have decided already they will go ahead.

source

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Profit or Loss Games

The Scottish government will contribute 80% of the cost of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.  Glasgow City Council and Commonwealth Games Scotland will contribute the remaining 20%.  It would appear that the core funding for Commonwealth Games Scotland comes from the taxpayer.

This means that the taxpayer will pay for the vast majority of the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Having watched the following video, and after some years of wondering just how much a country benefits, I've decided it doesn't.  We're going to be more in debt.

Since the likes of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games admitted professionals, both competitions have lost any interest for me.  Allowing professional athletes into the arena paved the way for international sponsors.  Perhaps parts of Glasgow will be rebuilt to benefit Glaswegians, but, like the rest of Scotland, they'll be paying for it for many years to come.

Surely there is a much cheaper, and certainly more effective, way of encouraging our young to enjoy sport.

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Scottish Journalism and SNP Bias

Isn't it strange how two newspapers can report so diversely on one subject.  Yesterday there was a stooshie in the Scottish media about a Glasgow granny being evicted from her home as it stands in the way of the plans to make the site the athletes' village for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow City Council has offered Mrs Jaconelli £30,000 under a compulsory purchase order and she isn't happy.  Yesterday the First Minister became involved and he appeared to back the council's bid to evict Mrs Jaconelli and today the Scottish Express continue the attack on the FM claiming his stay in a 5 star hotel at India's Commonwealth Games is "unnecessary and completely excessive".  How they make that claim, when the cost of the Scottish government's official visit to Delhi has not yet been calculated, is bad journalism.

Glasgow is to host the 2014 Games.  Who do critics such as the well-by-his-sell-by-date George Foulkes think should represent Scotland in Delhi?  Perhaps George fancied a little trip himself, but I doubt if he would consider travelling economy class - the manner in which Shona Robison and some advisors flew on Thursday.

The saga continues today with the Herald doing a fine piece of investigative journalism.  It would appear Mrs Jaconelli has been offered several homes since 2002 and refused them all.  Furthermore, it's revealed that her lawyer is asking the council for a massive £380,000 on his client's behalf, £300,000 for the value of the land being acquired by the authority and a further £80,000 for the inconvenience.

As one local resident said: "Sympathy for the Jaconellis' situation would evaporate once the amount of money the family is looking for is known.

"It's a sad story, but 11 years ago, long before this Commonwealth Games business, a dozen other people took around £30,000 being offered and ran, including one family selling their flat in the block for £11,000."  Mrs Jaconelli and her family are the only residents living in the housing block.

She said: "My solicitor put in for that figure.  He wanted me to get a decent settlement.  I haven't known what the figure is.  You'll need to ask him".

There we have it.  The Scottish press desperate to tarnish the SNP government and the First Minister, yet with a little digging it appears the leadership of the SNP group within Glasgow City Council has done everything within their power to rehouse Mrs Jaconelli.  We now also know our political representatives used economy class to fly to India and Alex Salmond - being perhaps the best ambassador Scotland has had in many a year - wants to stay in a 5 star hotel in Delhi good luck to him.  I wouldn't stay in anything less than 4 star myself in a country which doesn't have the highest hygiene standards.

Three newspapers, two very different reports on the same story.  The SNP-bashing will only worsen the nearer we drift towards May next year.

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Commonwealth Games 2014 - The Logo

This is it. All £95,000 of it so Scotland had better like it.

Now let me explain what it means - other than the 2014 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow.

It is based around 4 numbers associated with the games - the 20th time they have been held, the 17 sports represented, the 11 days of the competition and one host city.

The second ring is precisely 17/20ths of the size of the full outer circle and the third ring is 11/20ths of the size. At the heart of the logo is the letter G standing for host city, although I'm sure you already know that.

John Scott, chief executive of Glasgow 2014 Ltd., praised the new design's 'fun and flexibility'.

I suppose we have had a bargain. The logo for the 2012 Olympics in London is said to have cost £400,000.

source

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Commonwealth Games 2014

Computerised image of revamped Hampden Park

Glasgow is to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. These sporting events come at a price and the price of this one is presently more than the cost of the Scottish Parliament. Can you believe anything could ever be more than the cost of our Parliament?

Eleven days of world-class competition will be held in July 2014 and according to Lord Smith, chairman of the Games organising committee, there will be huge opportunities for Scotland as a whole to benefit. I don't see the Games benefitting me in the slightest but if it does help others I'm happy to go with the flow.

What I'm not happy about is the budgeting system for large events such as this. Some anonymous grey suit set the budget for £373 million and that was accepted by all parties concerned. Now the Games partners - the Scottish government, Glasgow City Council and the organising committee - have revealed that the cost has risen by £81 million, over 20%. What is it with public accountants that they have an inherent ability to underestimate every time? The extra money is the cost of delivering the broadcast signal and the failure to sell the domestic rights to the BBC. I don't understand what that means but I'm sure someone will explain.

Not only is it now over budget but the Auditor General has reported some venues are already showing signs of slippage. For example the Cathkin Braes Cycling Course, which will stage mountain biking events, was, according to the original bid document, scheduled for completion by April 2009 but will now only be completed in March 2012.

The Deputy Auditor General, Caroline Gardner said, "In the current economic climate public sector finances are already under pressure and it is essential that the organisers keep costs under control. They need to continue to monitor and review the budget assumptions regularly."

Alex Salmond defended the overspend on FMQs today and stated the Games will cost "only a twentieth of the London Olympics." Maybe, but we need to control the expenditure of this event.

With many new and refurbished venues behind schedule and a budget growing by the day the Games could well be seen in the same light as many view the Edinburgh tram project - a white elephant and a big one. The First Minister may see the Games as a legacy but they will only be seen as such if there are no financial or timing disasters.

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