London might have spent millions of dollars preparing for the 2012 Summer Olympics constructing state of the art stadiums, overhauling transport links and installing anti-aircraft missiles to beef up security but there is one thing that still can ruin all this preparation… The weather
With just 15 days to go until the opening ceremony and forecasters predicting more turbulence ahead, Olympic officials and their government partners are making contingency plans for those events that could be decimated by adverse weather.
Can’t blame them for trying to be cautious since recently two grand events of summer; Formula 1’s British Grand Prix and Tennis at Wimbledon have been hit by violent storms.
Umbrellas and ponchos will be sale to protect patrons who couldn’t afford to sit under sheltered areas in the stadium.
“I don’t think the issue of the weather has kept anyone awake at night,” a spokesperson said. “We’ve had several years of detailed planning and I think this comes with any major outdoor sporting event. You have to factor the weather into your plans, and we have done.
“The weather in the UK is what it is — changeable. People organize sporting events all year round and deal with the weather, so the Olympics is no different in that regard — but there is planning in place if there is extreme weather so we can deal with it and the Games can continue.”
Sports minister Hugh Robertson said most venues are “reasonably weatherproof.”
“It won’t surprise you to learn we’ve been spending quite a bit of time on this, given the way June and July have gone,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.
“The Thames would have to rise a huge amount before the rowing is under the threat; the mountain biking is up a mountain and if it’s a bit muddy it doesn’t matter; the canoeing is an artificial venue; the football pitches shouldn’t be a problem.
“There is sufficient slippage in the individual programs in various sports to cater for a certain amount of this. With hockey, which you can’t play if there is a tropical monsoon going on, there is enough slippage in the program to enable you to reschedule the matches.”
“It would be nice if the weather was perfect. It’s completely out of our control,” he said. “The British themselves are pretty stoic; there is a long tradition of watching sport in rain macs or listening to Cliff Richard or whatever. It has rather dogged this project since we went to Greece (to receive the Olympic flame) and it rained.
“People who come to watch the Olympics tend not to be born yesterday, they tend to do a bit of research. Anyone coming to this country this year probably know they are going to get a drop of rain. Regardless of the weather, we will have a great party. The fun of the party will overcome the inconvenience of the rain.”
