13th August 2012

Having spent the largest part of the Olympics without a TV or internet access in an isolated part of the Highlands of Scotland under the shadow of Schiehallion in Perthshire I have managed to avoid the worst of the brouhaha surrounding the Olympics.

Of all the sports involved I probably missed missing beach volley ball.

It was only after driving away from our cottage and identifying a spot by the Lochside that I would receive enough of a signal to get some internet connection and read the news.

Whilst finding an internet connection will never become an Olympic sport in and of itself, nevertheless it had a medal winning aspect to it even if it was only bidding for an Olympic Torch on ebay?

Like the sprint relay team I kept dropping the connection and finding myself disqualified.

It was a constant reminder that even though we are living in the 21^st century there are still parts of the UK which are living in internet poverty with broadband still a distant dream.

Nevertheless, if you were determined enough, it was possible to keep up with the central events and keep some kind of a rolling total of the Gold medals won by British athletes and to celebrate the success of other nations notably Jamaica as Usain Bolt won his Gold in the 100 metre sprint.

Nevertheless the peace and quiet of my highland retreat was restful and my breathing had an almost meditative quality to it, as I walked and fished and read in the unseasonal, and unscottish, unbroken sunshine.

Returning to something close to connectivity staying with friends whose Wi-Fi is available I can see that even the most cynical amongst us have been won over by the Olympics.

Success of course is always to be enjoyed and celebrated.

Great Britain has demonstrated that amongst its athletes there are some great Olympians.

Much of the success of the London Olympics can be traced back to the effects of Lottery Funding on ‘good causes’ in general and sport in particular.

But there is a sub-text to most things and it seems that training away from the UK and the role of coaches from outwith the UK continues to be an important part of the secret to winning Olympic Gold.

Now that real news will return with Newscasters reporting the News rather than commentating on the extraordinary spectacle of the closing ceremony with its rash of boy bands, iconic sixties musicians, Russell Brand and Gold Records in the place of medals maybe it will be possible to place the coalition once again under scrutiny.

There have been reports of cracks appearing in the façade of the coalition.

A cabinet reshuffle promoting more right wing MP’s, talk of the Chancellor being replaced, banks and banking remain under scrutiny, Danny Alexander is apparently getting ready to take issue with conservative policy proposals.

All eyes will be on the forthcoming by-election in Corby following Louise Mensch MP's resignation. 

There will be continuing debate about ethical versus capitalist banking as the co-op emerges as the preferred bidder to take over branches from Lloyds TSB making it a larger business operating co-operatively for the benefit of the wider community rather than commercially in pursuit of profits and bonuses.

All these topics need to be placed under scrutiny now that attention is no longer focussed on competition on track and field.

The para-olympics will of course once again placing many young athletes at the forefront of the public’s attention but this time it will perhaps be possible to recognise the underlying political ground which forms and shapes the achievements and disappointments and the different challenges facing disabled sports men and women.

In the middle of the competition it was announced that an even greater acreage of school playing fields is to be sold off, a strange counter intuitive action on the part of Michael Gove to ensuring that in the wake of Olympic Success in 2012 we will do even better in Rio in 2016 when David Beckham might be included in the Team GB football squad?

Meanwhile my money will be on the beach volley ball for the top ticket in Rio in 2016.