THERE are solid gold reasons why the £1.2bn spent on Olympic Team GB since 1997 seems a good investment.

At Atlanta in 1996 Britain managed just one gold medal. Something, it seemed, needed to be done to ensure a few more renditions of God Save the Queen.

And so, along came the National Lottery with the billion-plus funding that’s since delivered more than 100 golds in five Olympics.

Broken down, it means that tens of millions have been devoted to getting Tom Daley his first gold medal at the fourth attempt.  

And there’s always those legacy of increased mass participation that will make Britain healthier and happier. And the regeneration of one of London’s poorest boroughs that was promised after £15bn was spent on the 2012 Games.


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