China certainly demonstrated the ability to put on a spectacular and successful Olympiad, well done to them, and the Chinese athletes who gave their nation much to be proud of. Well done to Team GB too, whose medal tally far exceeded even the most wildly optimistic expectations.
The missed opportunity here by the IOC was to bring some much needed ethics into the background to the games, the merchandising, the preparations. See my previous post on the campaign to get the IOC to promote workers rights and stamp out exploitation in Olympic merchandise. It is too late for these games – is the will there to do something before the next games ? Procurement has already commenced – the Olympics is traditionally about fair play – isn’t it time this applied to every aspect?
Fair Trade Phil