Good Bye London 2012, Hello Emptiness

Rati and I are physically walking out of the wrestling arena with our India flags proudly draped over our shoulders but our minds and hearts are still in there. It is inconceivable that our Olympics is over. The last of the 19 events we have been to in the 16 days of London 2012 is over. It's all over, even the shouting. 

Not quite. Bob Gardner from Naperville, USA, clutching his Country's flag, taps me on the shoulder just as we reach the ExCel exit. "Can I please have a photograph with you and your Indian flag, our two flags in fact. My friend in the US is an Indian - Prashant," are his opening words. The Games might be over but the spirit burns bright. Bob gives me his card, I promise to email him, we do a mini photo session and I have another friend out of these Games.

New found friend, Bob Gardner, and I soon after the Games conclude.

I wake up this morning but the ritualistic switching on of the TV proves futile. None of the Olympics 24 HD channels of the BBC is showing any sport. Not even recorded stuff. I check each one of the 24 channels out of habit and a tinge of nostalgia. Yes, it is definitely time to say good bye to London 2012 and acknowledge the emptiness which fills everything. The TV is switched off and Radio 5 is switched on. My first attempt at achieving normalcy begins. 

But do allow me one last look at the last 16 days.

London tried its best. Its people tried their best. A lot of money was spent. A lot of effort was expended. The 70,000 volunteers were christened the "makers of the Games" and did their best too. The weather Gods chipped in when it most mattered.  All of this delivered a great Games. Transport was tops. Logistics were smooth. Stadia were superb. Nothing I can remember went wrong. We watched hockey, gymnastics, tennis, table tennis, athletics, badminton, wrestling, boxing, basketball, volleyball, football and archery. Each was a terrific experience.

London's Olympic legacy is a moot point though. How the many new stadia will be used is open to conjecture although the Boss of the organising committee, Lord Coe, himself a double Olympic gold medalist in the 1980s, lays tall claims of how nothing will be wasted. I do not believe this. Plenty has been and will continue to be wasted. In the 'has been' wasted category is the number of volunteers. 70,000 were far too many. Half the number would have produced far better results. And in the quest for perfection London tended to overdo most everything. 

Ofcourse, the stars were the ten thousand sports men and women who participated across 36 sports. There was heroism and heartbreak. Some wept when they won. Some others wept when they did not. Whether they weep or not my heart always goes out to those finishing fourth. This is a cruel place to finish. Perhaps in 2016 they should abolish the fourth position and instead have a fifth place after the bronze!

My sportsperson of the Games is undoubtedly Kiprotich of Uganda. He is not expected to win the marathon. But win he does. The gumption he displays before the finish is remarkable. Winners I have seen over the years prance around with their national flag after they finish. Never have I seen an athlete grab his country's flag from a supporter in the crowd whilst the race is still on and run up several metres to the finish line with it held high above his head in anticipation of victory. What a way to win!

My London 2012 badge of courage undoubtedly goes to India's Yogeshwar Dutt (see earlier post - Braveheart Dutt Does It). Call me biased or whatever but rarely, if ever, have I seen the sheer determination to win manifest itself so graphically on a sports arena. 

So inevitably now to India. Much maligned are our sports people bar the six medalists. A gigantic populous nation of over a billion and yet a pauper's medal haul. Where's it going wrong? Why is our sport so lethargic? The answer lies with us, the people of India. How many of us have watched or supported our world class archers? When did we last go to a basketball match? Who watches hockey? How many Indians have heard of Krishna Poonia? Only when us Indians care to watch and support Olympic sports will the money come in. India has already demonstrated through cricket what can be achieved with money.

I have lived in London and Amsterdam for many years. The British and the Dutch love their sport although in both countries football dominates. Before we start blaming multiple sports associations and Government bodies let us solemnly resolve to do our bit for Indian sport. Let us arise from our TV couches and go out to watch multiple sport at the stadium. The medals will follow. India has enough and more Yogeshwar Dutts in the larder.

20 years back we won no medals at the Olympics. 8 years back we won one. Now we have won six. 20 years from now we will win fifty Olympic medals. All which is required is for the Indian public to start watching and supporting sport. Let's go India, let's go!

It's time for me to go too. Watching these Olympics with Rati and sharing each day's events with you on this blog has been a wonderful life event. A huge Thank You to each one of you for reading my posts.  My first book, Inside Indian T20, is being published by Rupa Publications in January 2013. I hope to have you all as readers of my book.

My email id is raviramuonline@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

Good bye!

The Thames on the night of 25 July - Rati's favourite picture and one which has lasting memories of London 2012 for me.