Accountability-Central.com AC Alert for August 21, 2012 Reflections on This Summer's Olympics

If we were to take a poll of what people in the USA remember most about the recently-concluded Summer Olympics in London, we're betting it would be one of the following:

• The US basketball team, capturing another Gold Medal and remaining undefeated.

• Michael Phelps swimming to new heights of aquatic achievements and the new record in gold medals for an individual competitor.

• The looks on the faces of the US Women's Soccer team just after they had completed a tense 2-1 victory over Japan for the Gold Medal, which to an extent erased the stinging defeat to Japan in the final of the 2011 World Cup.

No doubt each of these was spectacular achievements that should have resulted in a sense of pride for Americans as they watched the competitions on television or mobile devices.

However, there was a lot more going on in London during this year's Olympics, both on the field of play and behind the scenes, which led to a highly-successful event.  And, the Olympics should be a significant source of pride for London and the United Kingdom as well as for the game participants hailing from lands far and wide.

Consider this report from Reuters:  "From ordinary police on the beat to the shadows of Britain's security establishment, the sighs of relief are almost audible. Terrorism is an act of theatre, an adage goes, but thanks to firm and discreet security at London 2012, would-be attackers must now wait four more years until Rio de Janeiro for their next chance to exploit the world's biggest stage. The absence of serious incidents at Britain's Games represents a success for the state and its counter-terrorism allies and a profound failure for al Qaeda, the militant network widely seen as most interested in attempting an attack. The fact that it was done with a light touch, with largely unarmed officers and soldiers on display, with no overt paramilitary element, has added luster to Britain's achievement." (Source Reuters).

For a few days the focus of the world turned to London as remarkable athletes from all across the globe competed on the Olympic stage, witnessed by a record number of TV viewers worldwide. Staging these games successfully takes years and years of careful preparation, and since January, our AC editors have been spotlighting all the news about the London Olympics in a special Hot Topics Section.  Our editors focused on the challenges of staging, securing, organizing and financing the 2012 London Olympics, coupled with the dynamics of national pride, corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship. 

AC placed special focus on certain aspects of the 2012 Olympic extravaganza, including issues of sustainability, security measures and the overall impact on the UK environment. The Olympic Games are larger than life showcases for the accomplishments of individual athletes and nations in more than 400 separate events. 

The Games are also a much sought-after event by host cities for the prestige attached to being an “Olympic venue,” and hoped-for economic benefits. How did these year's Olympics turn out? AC Hot Topics once again presents comprehensive balanced coverage. Here are some of our most recent excerpts:

London Olympics 2012 Ratings: Most Watched Event In TV History
(Source: Huffington Post) The 2012 London Olympics won gold in the ratings race this year. More than 219.4 million Americans tuned in, making this year's Olympics the most-watched event ever in US TV history, according to Nielsen.

Sustainability Gold for the 2012 London Olympics
(Source: Scientific American) With the 2012 London Olympics over, so starts the task of breaking down parts of the 500-acre Olympic Park that housed the world’s finest athletes for two weeks. In an effort to keep this year’s games both water and energy efficient, the London 2012 Organizing Committee and the Olympic Delivery Authority designed and built Olympic park with sustainability in mind.

10 things Rio can learn from the London 2012 Olympics
(Source: BBC) The BBC outlines ten areas where Rio de Janiero can focus attention as they prepare for the next Summer Olympics.

London Olympics good example of sports' embrace of environmental stewardship
(Source: PRI) Environmental activists are celebrating as the sports world seems to be more comfortable with embracing environmental stewardship not only as a business necessity, but also as a way to engage fans. The recently-completed Olympics have been particularly environmentally-friendly.

Paralympics 2012: London 2012 is far from over
(Source: Metro) After what can only be described as an exceptional couple of weeks of sport, with excitement and golden moments that will never be forgotten, London now prepares for the biggest Paralympics in history, which begins August 29th.

London 2012: Olympic boost to retailers and tourism new figures show.
(Source: The Independent) The Olympics proved to be a boost to retailing and tourism, as
figures showed that busy tourism and shopping areas had seen an increase in numbers during the Games.

This is just a sampling of the information in our Accountability-Central.com Alert. Go here for the full text of this alert, and more information on Sustainability, and other Accountability related topics.