Tony Dallas

Published: 1 August, 2013
by TONY DALLAS

Tony Dallas talks sport… and with more than 20 years working as a sports development officer he knows what he’s on about

SO many things to talk about and so little time.

Let’s start with the Gareth Bale saga. No one at Spurs wants to lose him but, let’s face it, his stock will never be as high as it is right now and we’re selling him to a club far, far away. That’ll do me.

He has the opportunity to become the richest player in history and go on to do amazing things. Let’s wish him luck, take the £100million-plus and buy some new players.

Meanwhile, we had the Anniversary Games this weekend and I didn’t watch any of it. Wondering why?

Because a year on from the London Olympics I don’t really care! It was good while it lasted but it’s a bit like Wimbledon – everyone picks up the racquets and books the courts while the days are longer and slightly warmer.

We try to emulate our favourite players but as soon as the tournament is over we’re left with uneven bounces and membership fees at lawn tennis clubs that are still above the average wage.

Slowly but surely our enthusiasm begins to dissolve. I haven’t heard enough legacy stories to have made the cost to the taxpayer for the Olympics viable. Some will say you cannot put a cost on the feel-good factor it gave us last summer and I was one of those that felt really good.

My feel-good factor, however, is about the impact on communities, and you cannot put a price on that either.
How many under-represented communities has this legacy captured?

How many more Greek, Croatian, Asian or Chinese people are joining tennis, athletics or boxing clubs?

How many girls, women or disabled people have benefited from the millions made?

How many sports fields have been bought back?

These are the legacies I want to see.

I also have an idea of how during this summer holiday we can embrace the legacy of the London Olympics and beat the game console companies.

Couldn’t the Olympic legacy group give money to local boroughs so they can host their own mini-Olympic Games while the kids are off school? How brilliant would that be?

Finally, a quick word on the Ashes series. I usually like to see closely contested matches. But I think it’s a wonderful thing to see England smash Australia for once.

England have a swagger about them and it’s good to see.

• Has the legacy promise of the London Olympics been fulfilled?

Tell us your views. Email sport@camdennewjournal.com