Are the Olympics worth it?
Hello, James here. Today's show is going to be dedicated to a topic that's got Londoners arguing this week - whether the Olympic Games are going to be worth the hassle and money that's going to be spent on them. The government here has admitted the are already
But it's not just Londoners who are asking this question - we know that people in plenty of other places in the world are having the same arguments. Is hosting a big sporting event worth the cost and hassle?
Of course, we want to hear them on World Have Your Say tomorrow, when we hope to bring you the programme live from East London, near the site of the Games.
Perhaps Montreal offers a stark warning. The Canadian city hosted the Games 30 years ago, but will only finish paying for it this month, and the whole thing what it was supposed to. Their Olympic Stadium was supposed to be known as the 'Big O' - but instead locals call it the 'Big Owe'.
But then again, I come from Sydney, Australia, and despite the usual bumps along the road to the olympics, you'd be hard pressed to find someone today with a bad word to say about the experience. We like to think of it as the "."
Do you live in , the , , , London, or anywhere else that is expecting an influx of visitors expecting top level sport, a chance to sample local culture... With decent (and cheap) food, hotels and transport? Can your city or country realistically deliver all that? If it's already taken place where you live, did it have a lasting legacy? Do you think it's worth the money and time spent? Is it a genuine source of pride?
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And there are a few other stories around today:
Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian ex-spy who said he was the victim of a poisoning, has . We talked about this earlier in the week, do you think it needs re-visiting today?
And back to the sporting front, I've already had a bit of a brag about how great the Sydney Olympics were. So while i'm at it, have you seen the in the Ashes? Being the only Aussie in the office, it's the first thing we talk about in the mornings, and things are looking pretty good from my side of the fence. The Ashes is one of the great sporting rivalries - how important do you think these rivalries are, and how important are fans and supporters to sport?
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