Olympic pride

Published on 13/08/2012 01:41

Over the past two weeks you have published letters from “Olympic deniers”, which ranged from the writer who announced he was ignoring them and would not watch (but this did not stop him passing judgement on the opening ceremony) to what other purposes the money should have been spent.

This latter argument can be applied to many projects, none of which will give the pleasure that the Games have given to the vast majority of the people of the UK. Will we see the same argument applied to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow? I would guess not and rightly so.

I for one am proud of the Games and not only Team GB’s achievements: who could not be excited by the performances of Mo Farrah, Usain Bolt or Sir Chris Hoy and many others. The deniers should get out more and perhaps give up their membership of the “Flat Earth Society”.

Hamish Wilson

Ware Road

North Berwick, East Lothian

Bill McLean’s comments on the Olympic Games (Letters, 11 August) were a bilious and unjustified tirade against what can only be described as an unqualified success.

For two weeks, the UK played host to the world and the BBC underlined just what a remarkable, proficient and utterly professional organisation it is.

As far as the reported £13 billion costs go and what other areas the money might better have been spent on (and he misses the point here), that could be said of any publicly-funded project.

Given that Mr McLean is an outspoken supporter of the SNP and all things Scottish, it will be interesting to see what he has to say about the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and whether he will also judge that to be a “juvenile, jingoistic junket”.

Brian Allan

Keith Street

Kincardine-on-Forth, Alloa

IT IS intriguing that the SNP is demanding Scotland’s “fair share” of the “Olympic legacy” (your report, 11 August).

If it wants to break up the United Kingdom, how is that supposed to work exactly? If, however, the people of Scotland wish to perpetuate the relationship (and it looks likely that will be the case), then one must ask whether the SNP will also ensure that 92 per cent of the legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games goes to the rest of the UK.

I look forward to receiving 
the assurances of the SNP in that regard.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh