Criticism of Olympic Torch Ceremonies in Light of Greek Economy is Wrongheaded
When David Beckham joins Princess Anne, London Mayor Boris Johnson, and leadership of the Olympics organization in Britain to accept the Olympic torch in Greece and get the flame on the way to the United Kingdom, a ceremonial exercise full of theater and sometimes overwrought emotion will have completed its first phase.
The flame was lit by the sun's rays in a ceremony in front of the Temple of Hera in Olympia. After spending a week touring Greece, the flame is departing for the U.K. May 17. Some have suggested that it's in poor form to parade the flame around Greece and take it away in a grand ceremony when the country is engulfed in economic turmoil.
One critical take comes from Oliver Brown, writing for The Telegraph. Brown seems to think that the pomp and ceremony surrounding the lighting of the torch and all the trappings of the handover are somehow a smite toward the people of Greece.
The Olympics have been beset by corporatism, but are still the best stage for the expression of raw sporting talent. Each Olympic cycle brings new heroes to new lands, and allows not just the athletes but those supporting them to reach new levels of sport appreciation.
The very fact that there is economic turmoil highlights why the world needs what the Olympics bring us. It might seem old hat at tired to some to say the Olympics transcend politics at some level, but they do. Not completely, sometimes not even much at all, but at least a little. The Games do provide us, between the Summer and Winter editions, a peek at where we could be more often as a world society. Not just at the level of sport, either.
Beckham for Great Britain team?
Not only will he be part of the accepting party for the torch, Beckham will be there for the arrival in Cornwall that will mark the beginning of the journey around the United Kingdom for the Olympic flame. Beckham has indicated he would like to play on the Great Britain side for the Olympic Football tournament, and now he has another nod.
London Olympics Chairman Sebastian Cole said it would be "fantastic" if Beckham were on the team, while deferring the decision to Stuart Pearce, but obviously being in favor.
Beckham might make Team GB, but it could be for commercial considerations as much as for playing ability. There's no question he's a capable player, but he also represents Samsung, who are sponsoring the torch relay, and Adidas, who will be providing the team kit.
That's the kind of commercialism I don't want to see take over the Olympics, but Beckham has been involved with the effort to get the Olympics to London from the outset, so there's something to be said for that. In the end, I think him being on the team is almost a foregone conclusion.
