Asimple but resonant bell chime marked the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games. An undercurrent of British pessimism had washed over the preparation. Security was precarious, doubt was voiced about the transport system and the budget had been exceeded during an economic slump.
Maybe national unity was too much to ask. There had already been a diplomatic mistake when the wrong Korean flag was raised at a football match, causing the women’s North Korean team to vacate the pitch. Discord had also been registered in men’s football when some Team GB members elected not to celebrate the national anthem. The use of sport as a portrayal of the UK’s energy, invention and sportsmanship seemed to have long gone. It could be said that the United Kingdom now existed as four disparate countries, each with a character and national pride of its own.
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