INTERNATIONAL FUN & GAMES

There it is, a stupid, ugly, meaningless logo typifying an increasingly irritating branch of show business. Much is made of the global camaraderie inspired by the Olympics. We hear little of the accusations and counter-accusations of what must be increasing levels of the sly use of performance-enhancing drugs. It passes belief that the human body has steadily improved in performance over the decades - evolution doesn't work like that. What has improved is the camouflage of dubious aids.

The Olympics are supposed to inspire young people to participate in sport. Certainly people of all ages identify with favourite young contestants - we watch with great pleasure the career of our Tom Daley. But at the same time as we hear of the millions being invested in providing temporary accommodation for international athletes we also hear that a local local leisure centre, complete with a pool where scores of children learn to swim, is in danger of closing. Presumably the children will have to be content with watching a handful of top stars doing their swimming for them. This seems to typify this celebrity-based approach to getting youngsters off the sofa.

We are told of the economic benefits of the expected surge of tourists to this country, but Tiresias wonders exactly how the figures are arrived at. Do they fully include the cost of the massive security operation that will be necessary? And what price do we place on the tensions created by the congregation of activists for various causes, not to mention those who, disguised as fans, are present in the hope of a really good punch-up.

It seems a pity that the Olympian Games did not confine themselves to the area of Much Wenlock.

So far the vocal opposition to the whole sorry enterprise seems to be confined to Ian Hislop, Janet Street-Porter, and myself - an unlikely trio, you may think. We can only hope that the cause will gather momentum. But then, Tiresias warned a deaf world to the dangers of credit run mad long before the current financial crises, and nothing was done. So - here we are. Don't blame me if there are tears before bed-time in 2012.