Sport For All?

Nothing puts the icing on a cake of something like the Olympics like being involved. Imagine the honour of being one of the 2000 schoolchildren lining the route to the Olympic stadium on the eve of the Opening Ceremony. At 9pm on Friday, the eyes of the world will be on London, with estimated viewing figures of millions, and there you are, centre screen, ushering the athletes to the Olympic Stadium, bearing the flags of their nations.

But don't think that you're just going to dress up, turn up and enjoy it, because you could be turned away. It was announced this week that the children would have to wear Adidas trainers, or wear unbranded trainers, if they wanted to be part of the ceremony.

As if the branding madness hadn't gone far enough, the rule was further reinforced that athletes will have to wear Adidas branded sports goods on the podium.

Now I know that Adidas have to protect their brand - they're one of the premium sponsors for the Games, and they have provided millions of pounds worth of equipment and so on. But to put proud parents in a position where their child cannot get involved unless they wear a specific brand of footwear just seems draconian in the extreme.

And if I had spent my whole life training for one event, and had prevailed against the lifelong challenge that presents, and all my competitors on the day, the last thing I would accept is a sponsor telling me what to wear.

Little wonder perhaps that a recent survey indicates that children would rather watch sport than take part. Now is the time when openness, nurturing and positive attitudes to all forms of sport should be garnered,

So on both counts, stories like this fail .. they must damage Adidas' brand, as now we all think they're idiots, and children are just going to be disillusioned with the whole thing. Particularly the child sent home because he wouldn't fund Adidas policy of paying £10 a week to impoverished Cambodian workers to manufacture Olympics sports wear.