Everyone already knows London is cool and up to the minute. No, no, the reason London is hosting the Olympics is to keep them out of the hands of the French.

Stu, Beijing,

Dear James,
Re-travellers turfed out. I am sorry, travellers have never ignited my charitable instincts because they are spongers. As for vegetable allotments, you should own a garden big enough for your choice cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.

ian cheese, london, uk

The comments about Greece are not only bordering on the offensive but also incorrect: Greece has been a member of the EU since 1981 and so was clearly not "a country freshly inducted into the European Union" with a point to make when it made its bid to stage the Olympics.

David Crabbe, Washington DC, USA

It is unbelievable and sad that so many negative comments are here about the olympics. I can only put this down to short-sighted, cynical thinking about international relations- which actually transcend politics and scandals. Of course the investments will help London and the UK.

G Davidson, Kashiwa, Japan

This writer seems very disappointed and even angry with the apparent success of Beijing Olympic Games. This guy seemlingly takes the Olympics for the patent of western countries but curses the London Games badly and conncets it with Darfur and Tibet and bluhbluh which I guess he knows nothing about.

yxc, wuhan, Zhongguo

It will be a close run thing with global warming raising the sea level by about a metre per year. With a bit of exponiential calculating thrown in, London could be underwater by then with a bit of luck and that would make a lot of people happy.

m wilson, bidache, france

Are the British feeling the heat after Greece (tiny as it is) staged a successful games, and now China too? After the Terminal 5 (?) debacle, I'd be worried too! The Chinese built their massive terminal in half the time & cost! The UK seems to have lost its edge on many fronts.

Lionel, NY,

I regard the Olympics as a freak show since I saw a 6ft Japanese women volleyball team, and elite sport as a chimera. I joined a gym as a 30yr old. We had 4 teams playing volleyball,one Hungarian. Two at lunch, one policemen. A free for all . They joined a league, the teams went, the league folded.

ged, manchester,

The Olympics are another fine legacy from our wonderful erstwhile leader along with the war in Iraq. It is a great shame we cannot have this modest and intelligent patriarch back to lead our country to a truck load of golds in 2012. No need of an opening ceremony - his grin would dazzle enough.

john problem, Hackney Wick, uk

What's so bad about our record in Iraq then? Do you mean you'd prefer Saddam?

Tony Smith, Rochester, UK

From someone who was born and raised in Atlanta, the olympics triggered a huge boost to our economy. Since then the downtown has been re-gentrified, and the games brought us a great sense of pride. Leave it to the British to treat the olympics as beneath them. and you accuse us of smugness

Kyle, Atlanta, US

The Olympics are fought for by the elite, FOR the elite.
Coe and the Uber-classes will glide from luxury "do" to luxury "do" whilst rif-raf throw sticks and run round in circles watched by the under classes.
It's never been for the ordinary poor sods.

Ken Wyatt, Todmorden, UK

Ian Cheese, London

Money spent on the Olympics in developing nations is rarely well spent. Evictions, always a big part of the Olympic legacy have taken place at Clays Lane. Travellers turfed out. Vegetable allotment flattened. Property sharks swimming in for the kill. Are you not aware of this?

James, Beckton, East London

All of the sports fans at work talk about end of the cricket and start of football, with some rugby for good measure. No Olympics or medal tallies. So why is my tax bill to pay for games none of us will watch.
Oh - its a political decision. Why didn't you say so? That justifies anything, right?

KR, Stockport,

Hooray for the Games. Most of us weary of warmongering,credit crunches,political correctness and professional sport.. The Games are back to the concept of individual excellence, trying your best and real excitement. Good luck London-where do you book for a seat?.

Gary Johnson, Melbourne, Australia

Let's get this straight, here in 2008: the Olympics will cost the UK at least £20 BILLION. The fiasco of the Dome taught us absolutely nothing. Once more we have politicians and unqualified amateurs (in this case sports "personalities") running a major financial project. They haven't a clue.

Sean Hunter, Glasgow,

The Olympics are really for developing nations because the money spent on infrastructure is money well spent. I may be looking to buy an apartment in the Olympic village after the Olympics, if it is for sale.

ian cheese, london, uk

Barnes has the future: drop the Games, get independent of the "smug" U.S., leave Iraq to the locals, apologize for our immigrant policies, pull up the drawbridges, and put the money saved toward taxes or the NHS or city fees or MP expense accounts - who are we to host games with our record?

Carson, Leatherhead,

LOL at the Athens, Georgia vs. Athens, Greece reference. It took me a second to get it.

The two least inspiring summer Olympics were/are Atlanta and Beijing. Atlanta because it was soul-less, crass and commercial. Beijing's priority is China's public image. Sports are secondary.

Steve Sinai, Pacifica, California, USA

"London will spend a mere £9.3 billion..." What dreamworld are you living in, SB? That's just the current official estimate, 4 years before the event. The final official figure (which will of course be a lie) will be much higher. The true figure will never be known, but no doubt higher still.

Adam Addis, Lancaster, UK

If London wanted the Olympics (were they ever asked??), then London alone should pay for the priviledge.

...Waiting in an underinvested place north of Watford, for the additional tax take to pay for London's infrastructure improvements.

cap, Lincoln, UK

"So why stage the Games?" So that all can enjoy the 'Fun Olympics'.

After the economic misery that's about to befall the country, it will be welcomed.

ChrisR, Worcester,

Brick Lane, pie and mash and jellied eels will show the world what the East End of London is about. Jack the Ripper tours will be every 10 minutes to cater for the hordes of visitors during the Games. The Salmon and Ball pub in Bethnal Green will do well.

Charles Morgan , Madrid , Spain.

A very accurate assessment. Athens has yet to recover from the 2004 Olympics with a scandal-a-day over drugs or derelict venues. London too will suffer from blocked roads, traffic jams and overspends of gigantic proportions. I'll be paying for both Athens and London for the rest of my life!!

Dr David Green, Athens, Greece

What policy on immigration? There is no policy on immigration. The borders are simply opened to as many millions as can squeeze in.

Frank, London,

I'm gutted that London will stage the 2012 Olympics. Sport is tedious - however exercise is something that people can do for free anytime/place. The cost of any city staging the Olympics is 100% unjustified. It's a silly event, staged for silly reasons. The medals are worthless and mean nothing.

Jo Rose, London, UK

Oh come on London, you wanted it, you got it, now work for it. Unless you guys want the French or Spanish to get 2012 instead (or even worse) dump it on us or (shiver) the RUSSIANS.

ricky wola, New York, USA

The security problems in London are horrific. I, if I was so inclined ,could bring the traffic in London to a standstill and there would be no way out.
The authorities must ask competent people how to avoid moves like this.

m wilson, bidache, france

The US's hip hop scene (Kanye etc...) has a romance with London and that done more for London's 'cool and hip' image than a £9billion sports day can EVER do. London is already one of the most vibrant and multicultural cities in the entire world! £9billion NO THANKS!

Alan, Northampton,

It might be wise to take a public survey and see how much of the public supports the concept of the Olympic games. In the modern world the Olympics seem to be an expensive exercise in futility.

Bill Smith, Brisbane, Australia

I don't think it backfired with China. Instead, it has backfired with the West. Olympics or not Olympics, the West propaganda machine never stop bashing China. Not a big deal. Bashing China archive nothing, only to keep fooling yourselves and showing your impotence. The West won't care. For now.

shao xie, chicago,

Nice to see the lefties having a go about the lapdog relationship with the US.

If it wasnt for thousands upon Thousands of US soldiers saving our skin you wouldnt be able to write such tripe.

Dave, Lincoln,

Time to reform the moveable feast, let's take Barcelona, Sydney, Athens, Cape Town and Los Angeles as the 5 permanent homes for the olympics and rotate it, or better still take just one. The current system is wasteful and so, so self indulgent. Time to move on.

Jack Tar, Shanghai,

It'll be interesting to show the world that the daily traffic chaos it takes Beijing five entire ring roads to achieve, London can do with only the M25.

George Edwards, Beijing, China

Interesting article, though I believe it has backfired with China. Too many corruption and cheating charges, too much emphasis on their awful human rights record, too much focus on their authoritarian measures and obvious propaganda use.

Daniel, Austin, United States

The Games will be in London for less than three weeks.

Crossrail will be there for more than three hundred years.

Drop the Games and rename Crossrail "Olympic Rail" - and spend the money on this vital project.

Andrew Myers, Haute Vienne, France