Opinion No more white elephants
London versus Beijing: an Olympics contrast
In less than a year from today,the London 2012 Olympics will kick off,officially taking the baton from whats considered one of the most successful events of all time the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Hosting the Olympics is a defining moment for any host city,and there is a significant resource investment made by each host city prior to,and during,the event. As London 2012 approaches,there will be inevitable comparisons to Beijing 2008.
On August 8,2007,exactly a year before Beijing 2008 opened,there was the thrill of anticipation. Few,if any,had actually witnessed the transformation that the city and its vicinity were undergoing to prepare for the Olympics a year later. There were mixed feelings of trepidation and anticipation since this was Chinas big foray onto the global stage,and many promises had been made. Infrastructure for Beijing 2008 was a major concern,especially since most of it had to be created from scratch. The result was a revamped airport,a systemic overhaul and improvement of the subway/ public transport systems. To improve the air quality and ensure that the traffic was controllable during the build-up,emission-reducing measures were instituted at construction sites,and restrictions enforced on passenger/ commercial vehicles in the city. Therefore,the construction of infrastructure and associated initiatives were managed from the top,by ensuring that the city complied and paved the way for meeting milestones ahead of time. Other concerns included the freedom of the media and tourism,and the proposed introduction and enforcement of Beijing 2008-specific laws that would protect the intellectual rights of the stakeholders. China managed.
The Beijing 2008 model focused on scale,size,splendour and on-field success. The stadiums,especially the iconic Birds Nest and Water Cube,were aesthetically astounding. All said and done,the Olympics were a huge success,despite the rumoured $58 billion cost. However,they became a stereotype for what has now become the pet peeve of all the stakeholders in the Olympics domain the White Elephant syndrome.
The White Elephant syndrome deals with excessive spending on creating infrastructure for an event which,once the event concludes,becomes redundant,ill-maintained or an eye-sore. Most of the stadiums in Beijing reportedly suffer from disrepair and disuse,and are no longer fit for use today. A similar plight befalls most event-specific infrastructure. The Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 is a prime example.
This is why London 2012 does not aim to compete with Beijing 2008 on budget or scale. London is the centre of the world,the only modern-day city that will have hosted three Olympics (1908,1948,2012). The theme of the 2012 event is simple the sustainability model. It will limit spending,ensure that the infrastructure blends seamlessly into the city plans and,above all,ensure that the legacy stadiums and other associated infrastructure are either re-usable or moveable. Many of the significant infrastructural creations for London 2012 are detachable and will likely be reassembled at different venues after the event. A parallel process strategises how the existing infrastructure will be re-designed,expanded or contracted based on the city plans. If it is not re-usable,moveable or temporary,it likely wont be at London 2012. The goal is to ensure that there will be only sustainable,lower-cost legacies the main reason why London won the bid over Paris.
But London is saddled with its own limitations. An ancient and sub-par public transportation system,especially the Underground,needs to be scaled up,expanded and significantly improved. As will all the gateways for entry into London. Not to mention,the road traffic there are already grumblings about the proposed Olympics Lane.
Democracy comes at a cost,and London will not have the breathing room that Beijing had for containing traffic and ensuring infrastructure development. On the other hand,there will be fewer concerns regarding legal protection,and accessibility to the event. The London 2012 event will have special regulations and statutes in place for all the stakeholders as recourse where there is any violation. Ambush marketing,image exploitation,privacy rights,copyright violations and the like will likely be tackled without the fear of the unknown.
Beijing 2008 set the standard for what most host cities aspire to. London 2012 has a different aim to ensure that the post-Olympics encore endures for an exponentially longer time than the event itself.
The writer is a Delhi-based sports attorney,express@expressindia.com
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