Olympic sized expectations

It is the calm before the storm.  The Olympics is only  a couple of weeks away and Net.Mentor will be playing a very small part in the greatest show on earth.

For some Londoners, the 2012 Olympics will mean a reason to escape the city and all that will be involved in the Olympic circus coming to town.  For millions more, however, along with added millions from around the world, it will mean an experience that many may never witness again in their lifetime.

Having been born just a javelin's throw from the entrance to the Olympic Park - in Stratford, East London - the announcement that the Olympic games would be sited near my birthplace was just one reason for my immediate response: "I want a piece of that".

As a former sports journalist and a current content writer and media consultant, the Olympics could offer the perfect opportunity to combine a well-practiced set of skills with one of the world's greatest sporting events.

Seven years later, and with just two weeks to go before the opening ceremony, I'm leaving my co-director in capable charge of our regular clients and heading to London and my role with the Media Management Team at the Olympic Basketball venue.  The reality has only hit home in the last few days, helped by a flurry of e-mails and phone calls from the organisers, LOCOG, and my line manager relating to accreditation, work schedules and last-minute training activities.

What has impressed me over the past months is the sheer size of the Olympic project.  This may sound obvious but, when you see it from the inside, it starts to boggle the mind.

More than 200,000 employees, contractors and volunteers all have to be managed - from contracts and transport to uniforms and food.  It's been an incredible feat of logistics so far and will continue to be so right through to the closing ceremony of the Paralympics and beyond.

But for me, particularly given my role, the most impressive statistic is the scale of the media operation: 25,800 accredited broadcasters, online and print journalists - including the Games' own Olympic News Service - will be monitoring every run, jump, push and paddle of 10,500 atheletes. It's hard not to be impressed, even for the most hard-bitten of journalists.

To be involved, even in a small way, with just one part of that media activity is a responsiblity that I am approaching with relish and perhaps just a hint of trepidation.  I've been on both sides of the media relationship many times - as journalist and spokesperson - and trained others how to manage these scenarios too, but this is a rare opportunity on a sports fanatic's 'things to do...' list.

IOC President, Jacques Rogge, is no longer allowed to declare any Olympic Games "The Best Ever", but let's hope he'll be moved to find some equally memorable hyperbole.

Published 12th July, 2012

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