The London Olympics of 2012 ― Politics, Promises and Legacy

When the choice came to be made in 2005, Paris was the most fancied city to host the Olympic Games of 2012. But the Games, to the surprise of some, were awarded to London. And, like all Olympics of recent times, important questions were raised, which this book attempts to answer: Why London? Lord Coe and his promotion team promised an Olympics that would 'inspire a generation': would such inspiration be likely, or even possible and, if so, what form would it take? London's East End would be regenerated, but to whose benefit? Was the Games' opening ceremony an accurate depiction of Britain? Was the media coverage of London 2012 too critical? What was the role of the corporate sponsors of the Games, and why was so much money spent on Olympic security?

Stephen Wagg's book provides a compelling and comprehensive analysis of the politics of the London 2012 Olympics, asking who won, and who lost out in this seminal event, and whether it has created a lasting legacy.

Stephen Wagg is a professor in the Carnegie Faculty of Leeds Beckett University, UK and has written widely on the politics of sport. With Helen Jefferson Lenskyj he editedThe Palgrave Handbook of Olympic Studies (2012). His other recent books includeSounds and the City (edited with Brett Lashua and Karl Spracklen, Palgrave, 2014),Thatcher's Grandchildren (edited with Jane Pilcher, Palgrave, 2014) and An Introduction to Leisure Studies (with Peter Bramham, 2014).