2012 Summer Olympics (The Takeaway)

Eight badminton players from China, Korea, and Indonesia were disqualified from Olympic competition Tuesday evening after they were caught throwing matches.  The disqualifications led many to question of what exactly we expect from Olympians, and whether or not we should hold our own athletes at home to the same ethical high ground. Grant Wahl is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated.

Several U.S. athletes are protesting the strict rules that limit what they can post on social media sites during the Olympics. They're using twitter to speak up about it, using the hashtags #Rule40 and #WeDemandChange.  The International Olympics Committee’s "Rule 40" prevents athletes from promoting brands other than the official Olympic sponsors during the days before and during the Games. The rules aim to protects the Games’ official sponsors, who paid big bucks for exclusive deals. But some athletes say the new guidelines could hurt their ability to fund their Olympic careers and training.  Adam Nelson is Vice President of the Track and Field Athletes Association in Atlanta, Georgia. 

As the U.S. swim team continues to bring home Olympic medals, The Takeaway has been looking at the more realistic side of swimming in America. Dr. Carol Irwin conducted a study that found 70 percent of African American children are unable to swim. And we’ve been hearing your stories of the challenge of learning to swim. Larry Fisher from Brooklyn, New York, writes, "When I was five years old my father asked me,"Can you swim yet?" In the middle of saying "No," my father picked me up and threw me into a lake. I don't know exactly how I survived but I practiced swimming every day after that for the rest of the summer and all summers after that. My idea to this day when I get in a pool is to do laps and to teach my seven year old daughter and five year old son a kinder way to love being in the water." Ginger Blue Dean from Afton, Oklahoma, also told her learning to swim story. Dean said, "My father told me a story about how he learned to swim. He and his brothers built a raft and set it afloat in a pond in South Carolina. When they were in the middle of the pond, too deep for him to touch, his brothers all jumped in the water, yelling "water-mocasin, water-mocasin," and set out for the shore. My dad, fearing a snake bite, jumped in and swam after his brothers. It was the first time his feet had left the bottom." As Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte continue to glide through the Olympic lanes, Americans jump into lakes and pools from the East Coast to the West, hoping to learn the sport of swimming for entertainment and safety's sake.

For the many millions in London this summer, today is perhaps the first real test for the Olympic organizers. How do you move millions around an already busy, old and crowded city on a Monday morning, getting millions to their place of work and ferrying players and spectators to their various venues? Dan Damon is the host of the BBC's World Update and joins us from St. Pancras station in London.

For this week's Follow Friday, we look back on this week's news and cultural stories, including the response to the theater shooting in Aurora, Mitt Romney's foreign policy, President Obama in New Orleans and the beginning of the Olympics.  Ron Christie is a Republican political strategist, and Kai Wright is editor of Colorlines.

South African sprinter Oscar Pistorious will make history when he becomes the first double amputee to take his marks alongside Olympic athletes in London. His high-tech prosthetic limbs have given him the nickname "Blade Runner." Another amputee has already played his part in the Olympic tradition. Stuart Hughes, a BBC producer, carried the Olympic torch through West London wearing his carbon fiber blade prosthesis. The torch recently concluded its 70-day, 8,000-mile trip throughout the United Kingdom in London.The experience, Hughes says, was nothing short of extraordinary. "While it lasted, it was absolutely wonderful," he says. "I'll never be a rockstar or a superstar athlete, but that's probably as close as I'm going to get." Hughes was working in Iraq in 2003 when he stepped on an anti-personnel landmine, moments after stepping out of his vehicle. His cameraman, Iranian photojournalist Kaveh Golestan, set off two more mines while running to safety and was killed instantly. Hughes was flown to the U.K. to recover, and was fitted with his first prosthetic three months later. Three months after that, he was back on the job with the BBC. That first limb, having carried Hughes through Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Iraq, has now earned a place in the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester's war reporting exhibit.  Hughes says that when people approach him now, the first name he hears is the Blade Runner's. "I think Oscar's involvement in the 400 meter relay, in terms of awareness of limb loss and what's being done to help amputees, you cannot begin to tell what a difference that's made," Hughes says. "It felt absolutely glorious," Hughes says about his walk through West London, carrying the embodiment of the Olympic spirit. "It was a glorious day, the sun was glinting down on my Olympic torch, it all seemed to be over far too quickly, and even now, I still don't think I've come back to earth."

Later today, the 2012 London Olympics will officially begin with the torch-lighting ceremony. Its artistic director is Danny Boyle, the English filmmaker famous for Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire.Today's spectacle, called 'Isles of Wonder,' draws inspiration from Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and is expected to be watched by a global audience of one billion.Dan Damon, host of BBC's World Update, reports from just outside the Olympic Park. Despite the numerous pitfalls that have occurred, such as a security hiring shortfall and an overtaxed public transit system, the reporter says that excitement is in the air in London. "All in all, I think everybody is in anticipation of a fabulous couple of weeks," he says. Tonight's opening ceremony will kick off more than two weeks of competitions. Damon says that viewers can expect dancing, flashing lights, fireworks, and, curiously enough, sheep. Boyle, the artistic director, told Damon that he wants to fully represent Great Britain's history, right down to its agricultural roots. The games will be held in East London, one of the poorest areas in the city. "What they've created is remarkable," Damon says. "There is grass, there are hills, and there are the canals and little rivulets running through the site." The decision to construct the Olympic village and facilities on top of buried radioactive waste generated considerable controversy. Concerns remain as to the future of the site, and if it will be made in some way accessible to the area's inhabitants. The mayor, Boris Johnson, has been at the forefront of the growing Olympic excitement. Damon says that he's enjoyed a recent boost in popularity. "He is a bit of a buffoon, and I think he'd own up to that himself," Damon says of the Lord Mayor. Londoners do love to gripe, Damon says, and one of the main sources of frustration has been the special lanes for Olympic participants, or "zil lanes." "What it means is that the International Olympic Committee executives are driving around on BMWs in these special lanes," he says. "That hasn't gone down all that well." 

As the Olympics finally open tonight in London, Paddy O'Connell, host of BBC's Broadcasting House, takes the temperature of the host city. "Londoners and British people are nervously thinking, 'Are we allowed, finally, to enjoy ourselves?'" O'Connell says. "We are preprogrammed with moaning and gloom. We are a misty aisle in the sea, and sometimes that affects our mood."  "But [now] I feel the heartbeat of optimism, and it really is very, very exciting."  Athletes and dignitaries alike are pouring into the city. Michelle Obama arrived today in London as head of the U.S. delegation. She hosted a sports carnival for children of American servicemen, as well as underprivileged Londoners, on the grounds of the Winfield House mansion. The first lady talked with American athletes at a breakfast, and told them to try to relax and enjoy amidst the incredible pressure of Olympic competition. "I'm so inspired by you and am in awe of what you all have achieved," she said. "Try to have fun; try to breathe a little." Obama, who has made personal fitness her signature campaign, reminded the children at the carnival that while the athletes are pinnacles of fitness now, they used to be kids as well.  "You know, you are not born an Olympian,'' Obama told the crowd. "Many of them started out just like you. When they fell short or got tired and frustrated, they didn't give up. It's hard work…you keep pushing and you never give up.'' Republican nominee Mitt Romney has also made a visit of London, and has achieved mixed results. In response to Romney doubting whether or not London was ready for the Olympics, Mayor Boris Johnson had something to say about it in front of a crowd of thousands. O'Connell says that while Romney's remarks seemed perfectly innocent, the British took exception to an American criticizing them. "The British, who have been doing that job for themselves, beating themselves up, didn't really want an American doing it," he says. "That seems to be the line that was crossed."Even Prime Minister David Cameron took exception to Romney's comments, saying, "We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course, it's easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere," he said. Cameron appears to be referring to the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City, which Romney directed.  "I think it's just mischief," O'Connell says of the ribbing that Romney has received.

The 2012 Summer Olympics appears to be dominated by a narrative of rivalries. But what happens when two rivals are competing for the same team? Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps, swimmers for the United States, exemplify this narrative: They are teammates but also rivals; they will work together but also compete. John Powers is a sportswriter for the Boston Globe.

In the global television era, the Olympics opening ceremonies have evolved into a genre like no other: Part opera, part Disney, part Superbowl halftime show, part air show, and part fashion show. In this audio essay, John Hockenberry explores the similarities and differences of past ceremonies.

The U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Louis Susman talks about the mood in London, if the Games are a worthwhile investment, and the arrival of the First Lady and Mitt Romney in the city.

The Olympic Games has always meant more than just athletic battles of the world's greatest and strongest. The Games often become a forum for political protest, for social change. Financially, the Olympic brand itself is currently the second largest brand, according to recent reports by CNN, demonstrating the large influence that games may have. As a powerhouse brand, the International Olympic Committee takes on the responsibility, claiming sports may be a gateway towards peaceful global relations and progression. Yet, history does not seem to have supported this statement. Take for example the Munich Olympics, or even the recent decision to award the 2008 Games to Beijing amid human rights issues. Can the Olympics truly carry more than weight of athletic competition successfully? Wall Street Journal Reporter Andrew Roberts asserts that the Olympics are just athletic competitions and beyond that cannot handle much more.

John Hockenberry reflects on what an Olympic legacy really means — and if it's worth the cost. Throughout the history of the Games, the performance of the athletes has improved as the costs of the Games creep higher. The first modern Olympic games in 1896 cost the host country Greece less than a half a million dollars. In 1936, the Berlin games cost $30 million. In 1960, Rome spent $64 million for highways, the Olympic village, and the Estadico Olimpico for their Games. It has taken Canada 30 years to pay off the loans to fund the Montreal Games in 1976, and in 1984 television rights cost ABC just as much as the city of Los Angeles made from the Games. Bob Costas won’t tell you, but watching the Olympics on NBC this year cost the network more than a billion dollars, a price tag that nearly covers the security bill for the 2012 Games. With a projected cost of around $17 billion, that has more than a few Brits complaining. Is hosting the Olympics worth it anymore?  Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College, says no for three reasons. Writing for The Atlantic, he outlines the real costs of hosting the games, which begin before the host city is even chosen. In the bidding war to secure the 2016 Games, Chicago spent $100 million, only to see Rio de Janeiro win out. The real problem is that committee that makes the case for its city does not have the city's interests at heart. "The committee that nominally represents the city really represents itself and bids according to its sense of the private benefit (of its members) versus the private cost, rather than the city's public benefit versus public cost," Zimbalist writes.  The second reason is the massive construction efforts that the host city must undertake to prepare itself for the Games. Developing cities can benefit by using the Olympics as a catalyst to overcome political infighting and complete necessary infrastructure improvements. However, to developed cities, the projects merely serve to drain millions of dollars towards athletic buildings that Zimbalist writes are "not conducive to rational, effective planning." He cites examples like Beijing's famous Water Cube, which was in the global spotlight as Michael Phelps made a run for eight gold medals in 2008. Today, it operates as a water park — entertaining, but perhaps not worth the estimated $150 million price tag.  Finally, Zimbalist finds that the promotion of the host city does not mean a spike in tourism, as promoters promise. He puts up the numbers. "These days the summer Games might generate $5 to 6 billion in total revenue (nearly half of which goes to the International Olympic Committee)," Zimbalist writes. "In contrast, the costs of the games rose to an estimated $16 billion in Athens, $40 billion in Beijing, and reportedly nearly $20 billion in London."  For the professor, there's no question that hosting the Games will mean an economic loss in the short term. Long-term benefits are inconclusive, and many of the benefits that the Games supposedly bring are not reliant on them. "Finally, it would appear that most of the positive developmental functions that could be associated with the Olympics could also occur absent the Olympics," Zimbalist writes. "The needed infrastructural investments could be made, the national airline could offer reduced rates for stays of over one week, trade missions could multiply their efforts, and so on."  For better or for worse, Londoners will see the Games begin in their city on July 27. 

With only 11 days until the Olympic Games opens in London, thousands of athletes and officials are pouring into the British capital. But there are some serious concerns about security preparations for the Games. It recently emerged that the private security firm responsible for keeping everyone safe in London hasn't been able to recruit enough civilian guards for the job. The British government has said it will add 3,500 additional troops to fill the gap and the British police are deploying extra officers from across the country. John Burns has been reporting about London 2012 and its security woes for our partner, The New York Times.

The playlist for the July 27 Olympics opening ceremony in London has been leaked. The 86-song list is the brainchild of opening ceremony director Danny Boyle, of Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours fame. Although most of us are not going to win a medal in the 2012 London Olympics, we're all going to be watching as the U.S. competes against the world's greatest. In partnership with our friends at The World at WGBH in Boston, we asked our listeners for suggestions for songs to be added to an Olympic playlist. Here is what you came up with:

London has had plenty of reasons to celebrate lately. Last April was the Royal Wedding, and just a few weeks ago thousands commemorated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. But behind these posh events, and the billions of dollars in taxes they require, is a struggling citizenry that has been plagued by terrorism, and more recently, widespread rioting. In his book, "Capital," John Lanchester writes about life on one London street in 2007 just before the city — and the world — would fall into economic disarray. The book highlights a diverse group of neighbors, each facing their own hurdles in a world ruled by money. 

Forty years ago today, Congress passed Title IX. The landmark civil rights law barred gender discrimination in the country’s schools and colleges, but it is perhaps best known for its impact on female participation on women’s high school and college sports. It's hard to believe today, given the prevalence of women’s sports in schools across the country, but before Title IX only 1 in 27 girls played high school sports and women’s college teams received only two percent of athletic budgets. Today, women make up more than forty percent of the overall student athlete population at both the high school and college levels and that number continues to grow. This has opened up more opportunities for women to compete in elite competitions like the Olympics and various world championships. Jackie Joyner Kersee is a living example of Title IX's success. She’s a three-time Olympic gold medal winner and was voted Sports Illustrated’s Greatest Female Athlete of the Twentieth Century. Ali Binney is a volleyball player and junior at Wellesley College.

The Olympic Games are intended to be a celebration of athletics with politics set aside. In fact, the Olympic Charter expressly opposes the clash and politics and sport. But over the years, the Olympics have served as a political forum as much as they’ve served as an athletic arena. This year, at least one person is calling on the London Games to continue in this tradition and go political. Mark Stephens is a British lawyer. He recently published a piece in The Guardian calling for the London Games to serve as a forum for the promotion of LGBT rights.  

Organizers are starting to talk about something that's never happened before - a sellout for the Paralympic Games. With 100 days to go before the start of the Paralympics in London, the public has a chance to see more than 4,000 elite athletes when the last remaining tickets go on sale today. Eleven-time gold medalist Dame Tanni Grey Thompson has broken over 30 wheelchair world records in track and field. Now retired, she's looking forward to the Paralympics which she insists will leap over a high bar.

While our host John Hockenberry was in London last week, he met with Paul Deighton, Chief Executive Officer of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The two discussed the planning that has gone into the Games, one of the largest events a city can host. Deighton said the project was one of a kind. Paul Deighton is the CEO of the 2012 Olympics.

Boxing has been a staple of the summer Olympics since 1904. But for the first time ever, women will step into the ring and compete for the gold in this year's London games. And the lead-up to the main event promises to be just as intense: there are 24 contenders but only three spots on the U.S. Women's Olympic Boxing Team. Bertha Aracil is a female boxer and competing for a spot on the U.S. Women's Olympic Boxing Team. Sue Jaye Johnson is a photographer and creator of the multimedia project, "Women Box."

Concerns over security at the 2012 Olympics has prompted the United States to send 1,000 agents, including 500 from the FBI, to provide protection for its athletes in London. The Guardian is reporting this morning that American officials are apprehensive over British anti-terrorism laws and the effectiveness of their police force to handle threats. Their British counterparts, however, are concerned about the U.S. operating outside its jurisdiction. Gordon Corera, the BBC's security correspondent, has the latest from London.