100 Days to the London Olympics

Today marks 100 days until the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

To me, the Olympics are a tremendous event, something which is inspirational, something which will be remembered for a lifetime, and something which will have a physical and emotional legacy on future generations.

Yes, I accept there are issues about the Olympics.

Some point to the cost of staging the games, whilst ignoring the increased tourism they will bring.

Some point to the potential for terrorism, or to what they consider to be OTT restrictions on civil rights during the Games - but i'd rather the Games went off without incident with everyone safe.

Some point to the corporate sponsors and say that a few of the companies giving money to the Games have questionable backgrounds and records - and I, for one, have some sympathy for their view. I wish it wasn't necessary to have any corporate sponsorship at all. I wish that fast food and confectionary companies couldn't link their names with sports events. I wish that companies with bad human rights records couldn't try to make themselves look good by linking to the Games. It is an unfortunate by-product of the economic system the West has chosen.

Some point to the transportation delays possible during the Games but ignore that there's been plenty of warning and it's up to individuals to make sensible arrangements. Remember, it is only for a couple of weeks.

Some dismiss the sportsmen and women as over paid prima donnas and mostly drug cheats. Yes, that may be the case for a few, and the Okympucs need to look seriously at whether drugs cheats are ever allowed to compete again, but the vast majority are examples of humanity excelling in sporting endeavours.

Some, including me, are hoping the Olympics doesn't become a tasteless orgy if nationalistic jingoism - but fear that our tabloid press will fuel such unpleasant fervour.

But, even if all of those things were true, even if all of them were as bad as they could get, I think the Olympic Games is a fantastic event and one which the UK, an historically important sporting nation, should be looking forward to hosting.