Olympic Legacy LGA 519 Sports Development Principles Olympic

Olympic Legacy LGA 519 Sports Development Principles

Olympic Legacy What is London 2012 legacy? London 2012 Legacy is the lasting impact of London hosting the Olympic Games or what is left behind after the Games has finished. This can include the tangibles; facilities, investment/funding, programmes and participation rates and the intangibles; national pride, attitudinal changes and social perceptions in relation to sport and physical activity. Interest and scrutiny of London 2012’s legacy value is a hot topic within Sports Development, at Governmental level and within a wider social context. “The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will be the biggest and best event the UK has ever hosted. But the five weeks of the Games will not be the only test of our success”. Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics (2008) What does 2012 legacy mean to you? How does it impact on you directly? What legacy would you want from London 2012? How will this differ to the meaning and impact on the general public and what they might want to see?

Olympic Legacy Government policy The government’s expectations and aspirations for the London 2012 Legacy are set out in it’s policy document Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games launched in 2008. The Department of Culture Media and Sport made public it's 5 promises in 2008: Promise 1– Making the UK a world-leading sporting nation Promise 2– Transforming the heart of East London Promise 3– Inspiring a new generation of young people Promise 4– Making the Olympic Park a blueprint for sustainable living Promise 5– Demonstrating the UK is a creative, inclusive and welcoming place to live in, visit and for business. DCMS (2008) The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is the public body responsible for developing and building the new venues and infrastructure for the Games and their use after 2012. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is responsible for preparing and staging the 2012 Games.

Olympic Legacy implies impact following the Games, however London 2012 is already shaping policy and investment in Sport and physical activity… Policy and investment Playing to Win (2008) – change in focus from community sport to one of performance and excellence Elite Sport - £ 550 million investment over three years Free Swimming – for 20 million people aged 16 and under or 60 and over PESSYP (2008) - £ 800 million investment over the next three years; that by 2012 every young person would be offered five hours of sport a week Sport Unlimited - £ 36 million scheme run by Sport England to get 900, 000 young people to try new sports, over a three-year period, with the aim of getting them to join sports clubs. Facility legacy There are five sports venues in the Olympic Park that will remain after the Games. The Olympic Stadium, the Velodrome, the Aquatics Centre, Eton Manor football, hockey and tennis pitches and the Handball Arena, which is set to become a multi-use indoor sports arena. Click here to take a virtual tour of the Olympic Park.

Olympic Legacy Scepticism over 2012 legacy Analysis of past Olympic Games suggest that there is no guaranteed beneficial legacy from hosting an Olympic Games. Scepticism over Olympic legacy is evident in political debate, professional discussion, the press and in social/informal debate, particularly in East London. ‘The challenge for London is, therefore, to embed the preparation for and hosting of the Games into a broader social policy agenda from the outset. Given the levels of disadvantage in the East End of London, this is especially important. ’ Vigor et al (2008, p 11) The document linked below discusses the Olympics as part of a broader policy agenda and set of programmes that contribute towards regeneration and social policy goals. ò Download After the Gold Rush from the attachments Olympic Legacy is far from assured… Image from Loughborough College

Olympic Legacy Challenges in establishing a legacy A number of challenges make establishing a ‘genuine’ legacy for the 2012 Olympics difficult: • Engaging sports clubs • Inspiring NEW participation • Over simplification of legacy effect • Evaluating legacy References: Vigor, A. Mean, M. Tims, C. (eds). (2008). After the Gold Rush: A sustainable Olympics for London: IPPR: DEMOS DCMS. (2008). Before, during and after: making the most of the London 2012 Games. London: DCMS Revisiting the legacy promises… Promise 1– Making the UK a worldleading sporting nation Promise 2– Transforming the heart of East London Promise 3– Inspiring a new generation of young people Promise 4– Making the Olympic Park a blueprint for sustainable living Promise 5– Demonstrating the UK is a creative, inclusive and welcoming place to live in, visit and for business. Independent Learning Task: It is important that this week’s Independent Learning Task is to be • ability to 'read the play/situation' completed ahead of this week’s • acquired knowledge The Task will make direct • lecture. decision-making skills reference to the legacy promises.

Set Tasks / Assessment Essential Reading and Online Forum participation Download and read the documents below, from the attachments section, this will enable you to contribute to a forum discussion. ò After the Gold Rush: A sustainable Olympics for London. ò A systematic review of the evidence base for developing a physical activity and health legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Will London 2012 deliver on the DCMS legacy promises? Use the link below to access the Online Forum to give your response. Your response should demonstrate your wider reading and all statements should be supported and substantiated. Click here to visit the Forum