阿扁總統打造的足球夢, 到底有多實際? 台灣真的適合將進軍世界盃足球當成一個目標嗎? 聽到這一段新聞, 我並沒有時間去證實他的可信度. 但是, 熱愛體育的我, 對這個新聞的反應卻是只有心痛.台灣已經不需要這些空頭支票了, 我們的社會需要更實際的目標.

我懷疑台灣的政治家們到底知不知道什麼叫體育? 當年郝柏村每天晨泳, 現在馬英九晨跑, 這是提倡體育嗎? 有多少人能夠在每天加班, 睡眠不足之後, 還早起運動? 我除非住五星級的飯店, 有完善的運動設施, 有方便的淋浴與早餐, 否則, 早上運動簡直是天方夜譚, 要談體育政策, 我最深刻的印象是倫敦獲得奧運主辦權那天的演講與之後在國內營造的全民體育風氣. 

我的好朋友 Simon 在奧委會決定2012年奧運的前一天, 從新加坡打電話給我: "G! I believe Tony Blair and Lord Coe are going to give a speech that would win London the right to host Olympic!" Simon說英國把全民體育, 全民健康打成他們的重點. 他們說: 運動對下一個世紀的人類, 會是更重要的. 在倫敦舉辦奧運, 除了能提供給運動員一個很好的競技場合, 也將給全英國人一個了解運動之重要性的機會. 我當時還認為他開玩笑, 畢竟, 法國的呼聲一直很高, 巴黎的腹地與週邊設施的便捷 ,一直是大家看好的, 也較吸引運動員, 但是有獨特觀點的Simon卻一直強調, 他聽了他們的初稿, 心中有的是他多年未有的感動 (在柯伊演講前, 他們會播放一段影片, 突顯運動如何能轉移無所事事小孩的注意力, Simon 說那段影片提醒他當年做十幾小時的車到佛羅里達去看NBA球員"練球"的熱情 ), 聽的他都想搬離荷蘭, 移民英國了(可惜Simon在完成任務之前 已經被派到日本 進行他的另一階段任務) .

Simon是NCAA 的籃球選手, 畢業後幾年, 成為國際事務專家. 尤其是離開石油公司後 ,到海牙聯合國週邊的一個基金會工作, 近年來 跑遍全世界, 當他轉到目前服務的顧問公司時 ,他們剛接到爭取奧運的一些接待奧委會代表的案子, 他們好幾家顧問公司結合, 認為倫敦該以不同於紐約, 巴黎的角度去說服IOC 的委員. 尤其是在馬德里出局後, 所有的人都認為, 大多投馬德里的票都會跑到巴黎, 不料, 在他們努力之下,英國席捲票數, 贏得主辦權. 姑且不論其他複雜的政治因素, 布萊爾跟柯伊的訊息卻是很清楚: 全民健康將是英國接下來的內政重點. (我記不了全部了 但是柯伊大致說了: Today, London is ready to join you for a new challenge, is to provide another enduring sports legacy...We can no longer take it for granted that the young people will choose Sports .... The young people are simply lack of the desire....We believe the game in London will meet the challenge... London's ).

我相信, 台灣人都知道運動重要. 但是, 每次我看作晨間運動的人, 大多是退休人士, 而擔當社會責任最重的中堅份子卻完全沒有機會去運動.  到底是經濟壓力, 讓我們沒辦法參加好的俱樂部, 或是俱樂部文化不適合台灣的環境, 或是台灣運動的週邊設備, 專業人員還不成熟?

錢應該不是問題, 台灣人花在SPA 與按摩的總金額 ,甚是驚人的高, 但是, 花在運動上 卻是少之又少. 而熱衷"金錢"與"政治"的台灣人, 又剩下多少精力來注重體育呢? 政治家們, 想想到底台灣人需要聽到的是什麼? 我們不需要那些封建制度下帶來的名利觀念, 我們需要的是一個持續在進步, 人人健康, 盼望明天會更好的社會.

至於世足賽的贏家: 台中的協和國小與桃園童安國小的小選手們, 但是, 這只是一個開始!

BBC 的新聞稿:

Why London won the Olympics

By Francis Keogh and Andrew Fraser London has dramatically beaten four rival cities to win the right to stage the Olympic Games in 2012. Paris were long considered favourites, while Madrid, Moscow and New York also submitted bids. But after an exhaustive two-year search to find the hosts, London won the hearts of International Olympic Committee members. So what was it that brought the Games back to the UK for the first time since 1948? Watch London's Olympic-winning presentation THE COE FACTOR Olympic legend Lord Coe provided a champion's touch and just the shot in the arm London needed after a slow start under original bid leader, American Barbara Cassani. Bid leaders: How they compared Timeline: How the race unfolded Coe, plain Sebastian when he claimed double Olympic 1500m gold in 1980 and 1984, expertly combined his athletics experience with political nous. He was quick to address perceived bid weaknesses like London's creaking transport system. Coe's team was commended by Olympic inspectors for a "very high quality" bid book, having being third of the five bidding cities a year earlier. He travelled tirelessly, used his political experience well and his background and profile helped convince IOC members London should get their vote. With the destiny of the Games on a knife-edge, and dark horses Madrid emerging as genuine contenders alongside favourites Paris, Coe delivered the coup de grace - his passionate final plea to the voters in Singapore. While the French capital's final presentation was steady and Madrid evoked a sunny outlook, Coe turned to youth and his belief in the Olympic ideal. London was allowed 100 representatives in the voting hall, and in a bold move, bid leaders made sure 30 of them were young people from the capital. They were introduced to the audience as Coe drew on personal experience to speak of the Olympic movement's ability to inspire. It was inspired all round. THE MECHANICS Plans for a new Olympic park based around the deprived area of Stratford in London's East End presented a powerful case for transforming the social and sporting landscape of the capital. Legacy was the word, and it was used often to deliver the message - give us the Games, and one of the world's great capital cities will be transformed. It was a vision that offered a new national athletics stadium, aquatic centre and velodrome. But it also fitted in with the idea of compact, non-wasteful Games, with several temporary venues to be relocated elsewhere in the UK. There would be no white elephants. The bid made use of famous landmarks and sporting venues - for example, tennis at Wimbledon and beach volleyball along Horseguards Parade. It was well presented to the evaluation commission and key moves, such as taking the Olympic inspectors through the under-construction Channel Tunnel rail link tunnel in Range Rovers, helped allay transport fears. PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFENSIVE London fought an aggressive public relations campaign, both on a national and international level. To have the Olympics in our manor would be a special thing David Beckham, who grew up in the East End The bid was kept in the public eye with constant events and press releases and turned around lukewarm public opinion enough to convince the IOC that Britain really wanted the Games. Coe and London chief executive Keith Mills made sure London performed strongly at the various head-to-heads with their rivals at Olympic get-togethers around the world. Getting influential ambassadors such as Nelson Mandela and David Beckham on board was also a boost. Concerns about lack of royal backing for the bid were skilfully addressed when the Queen hosted the inspectors for a dinner at Buckingham Palace. GOVERNMENT BACKING Having initially taken time to decide whether to back a bid, Tony Blair and company went into the campaign fully committed. Blair's backing: The final push Blair, who spoke at the official bid launch, was the only leader of the five to attend the Athens Olympics and lobbied in Singapore despite his G8 commitments. His presence at such a crucial time is thought to have personally swayed key voters. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, who is in line to be the Olympics minister, worked hard at local level. And mayor Ken Livingstone buried his differences with Blair to present the united front needed to reassure the IOC that politics would not get in the way of Olympic preparations. Blair took a gamble by flying to Singapore, and glad-handed an estimated 30 IOC members himself. Meanwhile, his French counterpart Jacques Chirac laid into British and Finnish food. Chirac was left eating his words. And one suspects revenge may have been sweet for the two delegates from Finland, whose votes will have been important in a tight contest.

======================================================== London beats Paris to 2012 Games

Photos: London celebrates The 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London, the International Olympic Committee has announced. London won a two-way fight with Paris by 54 votes to 50 at the IOC meeting in Singapore, after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated. Prime Minister Tony Blair called the win "a momentous day" for Britain. Paris had been favourites throughout the campaign but London's hopes were raised after an impressive presentation by Lord Coe, the bid chairman. IOC president Jacques Rogge made the dramatic announcement at 1249 BST. It will be the first time the Olympics has been held in Britain since 1948. Coe said: "This is just the most fantastic opportunity to do everything we ever dreamed of in British sport." The Queen, in a message to Coe, said: "I send my warmest congratulations to you and every member of the London 2012 team for winning the bid for the UK. "It's a really outstanding achievement to beat such a highly competitive field." HOW VOTE UNFOLDED Round 1: Moscow out Round 2: New York out; Madrid lead in tight poll Round 3: Madrid out Round 4: London 54-50 Paris Full details: Round by round After the announcement, it emerged London was ahead in every round of voting except the second round when Madrid polled the most votes. News of London's victory delighted flag-waving supporters who had gathered in Trafalgar Square and Stratford in the East End of London, where the new Olympic park will be built. Shares of British construction companies soared, while mortgage lenders predicted house prices in the capital would rocket. But raindrops began falling on disappointed Parisians outside the Hotel de Ville in the French capital shortly after the result. Mr Blair had helped London's late momentum with a whistlestop 48-hour visit to Singapore, before flying back for the G8 summit in Scotland. The best city in the world meets the best sporting event in the world! From JS Have your say on Five Live Breaking off from the meeting of world leaders, he said of London: "Many reckon it is the greatest capital city in the world and the Olympics will help keep it that way." Rogge had correctly forecast a cliffhanger vote, and offered his congratulations to the winners. "We knew the two bids were very, very close. Well done, London. It will be a superb Games and will strengthen the Olympics," he said. An hour after the decision, London's bid leaders were greeted by warm applause as they signed the official contract to stage the Games. This is how the decision was made by the IOC in Singapore on Wednesday: All five bidding cities gave final 45-minute presentations to the IOC members before the vote began. The electronic ballot started at 1126 BST. Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated from the race in the first, second and third rounds of voting. The final round of voting finished at about 1145 BST, with the committee reconvening at 1230 BST for the official announcement. Rogge revealed the winner, after a nerve-wracking wait, at 1249 BST. Wednesday's decision brings to an end the 18-month race to win the host contract for the 2012 Games. And it was the most keenly-fought bidding contest in recent years. Paris was considered the front-runner for much of the campaign, and was highly rated in the initial evaluation and also by the inspectors after their visits earlier in the year. But it was widely recognised that bid leader Lord Coe, a high-profile personality within the IOC and other governing bodies, hauled London closer to the French capital as the vote approached. Everyone was all together and we never lost our confidence Bid leader Lord Coe on London's Olympic victory Games triumph hailed Madrid was seen as a consistent but not outstanding candidate, while New York's bid was dogged by problems over their proposed stadium, and Moscow was always seen as the rank outsider. Once attention moved to Singapore, the bidding cities called on political and sporting heavyweights to champion their causes. And the spotlight inevitably focused on Paris and London in the days leading up to the vote. The two cities had President Chirac and Prime Minister Blair respectively in their corners. Mr Chirac actually took part in the French capital's final presentation on Wednesday, while Mr Blair opted to lobby alongside the London bid team in Singapore before flying back to Britain to host the G8 summit. London also called on England captain David Beckham and a galaxy of Olympic and Paralympic medallists as ambassadors, while footballers Laurent Blanc and Zinedine Zidane were among those backing the Paris bid.