Has the time come to put out the Olympic flame for all time?

Yes, maybe it has. It is certainly a long way from the sporting contest of amateurs it started off as. Once I really thought that sport and politics do not mix, but the Olympics are all about politics, and the sight of Chinese police thugs on the streets of London made me sick.

No....to stage the games, it takes money.....HUGE amounts of it. You think the stadiums, tracks, equipment, etc etc etc is going to just pop up out of nowhere?

The Olympics need corporate sponsors, and as for Olympic teams from various countries around the world, a good many of those athletes would not even be able to afford to travel to the Olympics to compete if it were not for the sponsorship money that multi-national corporations provide.

No I approve of the Olympics, but like most multinational organisations they are run through committee with members looking after personal interests. This leads to (and has in this case) collective stupidity. Whoever thought that hosting a problemless olympics in the country with the worst human right record should seriously consider a long walk off of a short roof top. It was predictable that there would be protests and problems.

Maybe its time to get rid of leadership through committee, for multinational events where the temptation to look after one's own interests is too great.

London is going to have a complicated time beating this establishing ceremony. i do no longer think of the Olympics have been so conroversial or dramatic as a results of fact the 1938 Olympics (i think of it exchange into '38) the place Jesse Owens, and African American, gained 4 gold in music suitable decrease than Hitlers nostril and gained a standing ovation from the German people. purely the chinese language would have this plenty restaint and charm appearing with 15,000 for the outlet ceremonies. The fashion designer of this ceremony exchange right into a genius. I enjoyed his theory of having people stamp their feet in massive ink sponges and strolling around the sheet of paper.

The world population who will participate in the 2008 Olympics is estimated at 6.5Bn people.

Consider putting out the Olympic Flame at your peril.

When it comes to putting out flames Ken Boon is your man. 25 years in the fire service. Me and Harry Crawford will have it out in a flash. Although not so easy now I've swapped the Dennis for a BSA, still Texas rangers will do their best.

yeah, so? doesnt mean it should be squashed for that reason, anyway, it "benefits" the place it is held in by adding more tourism blah blah blah.

No, why stop now? It is part of worldwide history