Locog want to move the finish of the marathon from the stadium in Stratford, East London, to the Mall.
Seemingly Locog want to create the "best experience for spectators and athletics and to profile London".
All very well, but the games were sold to world, and to the people of the East End, on the basis of regeneration and leaving a legacy in the area in which they are being staged (ie Stratford).
By snubbing the area which is having to put up with the disruption of the preparation for the games, and indeed the disruption that the games themselves will cause, Locog are at the very least being insensitive to the residents of Stratford and the East End.
Paul Brickell, Newham Council's executive member for Olympics, is quoted by the BBC:
"The route comes out from Aldgate, through Whitechapel and Stepney and Bow to Stratford and that is a fantastic street with 1,000 years of history.
The stories about that street are incredible and I reckon any marathon commentator could make it really interesting for a world audience.
This is a golden opportunity for those residents to be part of the greatest show on earth for free, on their doorsteps.
If these plans go ahead there will be a lot of disappointed residents in east London."
Tourists, Olympic visitors etc should be given a different perspective of London, other than the standard image portrayed on postcards etc of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace etc.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
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