Have we sunk this low?

I have already written about the times when sport becomes a substitute for all national pride, achievement and endeavour. First it was football, now it is the Olympic bid for 2012.

We all know that staging the Olympics is a horribly destructive, expensive business and all cities and countries who are unlucky enough to gain that right end up in heavy debt, with large constructions that crumble away unwanted and unneeded. (Reminds you of anything?)

Still, the politicians go on competing for the right to bankrupt their cities and uglify the landscape. Five unfortunate cities are in the running for the ineffable right to stage the 2012 Olympics: New York, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and London. They are all spreading out their wares in Athens. But, here is the catch: according to AOL News,

“London's was the only city whose bid included its country's political leader and the only one to include its mayor.”

Oh dear.