London passes early tests but big challenges to come
London 2012′s series of test events has been going well.
From equestrian at Greenwich back in July, to triathlon in Hyde Park, beach volleyball on Horse Guards Parade and men’s road cycling on Sunday – all have been well-supported and have gone smoothly.
But Monday’s basketball was the first competitive action within the Olympic park and the first time that large numbers of spectators have been given a taste of what their experience of the Games might be like.
The 3,000 fans were greeted by airport-style security checks – body searches, bag scans and metal detectors. Most seemed reassured but one or two grumbled about the amount of time it took to get into the venue.
Understandably following last week’s riots, senior security staff were keeping a close eye on how their systems worked, especially in light of revelations that police had sent officers to protect the Olympic Park after discovering it was a target for rioters.
Organisers are confident delays getting into the park will be kept to a minimum during the Games because, unlike is often the case at football matches, they believe fans will want to come early and stay to soak up the atmosphere.
As for the basketball arena itself, it is another impressive achievement even if the outer meringue-style wrap is a poor imitation of the water cube aquatics centre in Beijing.
But it does seem a bit excessive to spend £42m on a temporary venue which will not even host the finals of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments – its capacity is too small and so those showpiece matches will be played at the O2 (to be known as the North Greenwich Arena during the Olympics because of sponsorship rules).
Even more remarkable perhaps is the fact that the venue will be ripped down and sold off after the Games. Organisers always said they wanted to avoid white elephants and different parts of the arena will be broken down and recycled – with Rio de Janeiro, who will host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, likely to take some of its parts.
All that can wait, of course, with the eyes of the world increasingly focused on Britain’s capital and its preparations for the Games. Most people I speak to are impressed by what they have seen and the response to last week’s trouble. But this time next year more than a quarter of a million people will be in the park at the same time.
Hosting one-off dress rehearsals is one thing but staging 26 different sports, in one city, at the same time is a different logistical challenge altogether.
