Olympic opportunities
Getting involved in the legacy ›› With previous Olympic legacies such as Sydney’s falling short of their promise, Team GB is inviting the fitness industry to get involved to avoid health legacy failings of the past.
he lack of previous research into health legacies – or research which has indeed revealed no significant changes in activity levels – of former host nations, has spurred Team GB and Paralympics GB to launch their own initiative to ensure this is not the case for this year’s Olympics. So, how do we excite a nation? Or, more importantly, create a legacy from a once-ina-lifetime opportunity? While chief commercial officer of the British Olympic Association (BOA) Hugh Chambers asserts that this would involve getting people to feel a sense of attachment to the Games, this is often difficult given the elite nature of Olympic-level sport. Therefore, ‘Our Greatest Team’, with the tagline ‘900 athletes, 60 million strong’, is Team GB’s invitation to not only support the 550 Olympic and 350 Paralympic athletes but to make individual pledges to get involved in sport or activity. The initiative aims to encourage people to make a pledge to go to the gym at least twice a week, complete a triathlon or switch off the TV and go walking. The fitness industry, therefore, will have a pivotal part to play in bringing these pledges to life. However, as so often the danger with such resolutions is that the motivation will fade shortly after. Therefore, Team GB is enlisting the help of the industry
Rather than relying on individuals registering their pledges, facilities are being asked to sign up and drive the changes to provide long-term change. Rather than simply relying on individuals registering their pledges, operators are also being asked to sign up and help drive these changes within their communities. In the words of BOA director of elite sport Sir Clive Woodward, “There are 26 Olympic sports and 20 Paralympic sports all requiring fitness – which you can deliver in your facility”.
WIIFM? WIIFM – or What’s In It For Me? – is part of the scheme which promotes the involvement of facilities. Operators that
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sign up will get a readymade marketing plan, along with free branding and web tools to link those individuals who make a pledge with the facility. And for every location that registers, they will also appear on a map, and be invited to make their own pledge – such as how many people they aim to get to join the campaign or how many activities are completed – which will go into a league table for the most active city. There will also be opportunities to reach more people, as this year’s Paralympics – which actually stands for ‘Parallel Olympics’ – will be the largest in history, with the hope that this will help break down the barriers to sports participation among those with disabilities. Then there are also initiatives to help motivate staff, as clubs can win places for their trainers to work in the athlete gyms at the Games, or for facilities to win equipment from the athlete’s village after the Games. It’s an attractive proposition when you consider that the likes of Usain Bolt would have taken the donated treadmill through its first paces. fpb
To register your facility or trainers with Our Greatest Team, visit www.technogym.com/london2012
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