My Olympic summer

My experiences as a Gamesmaker at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics

Not a political post but with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo due to take place later this month, I thought I would reminisce about London 2012 and how I was lucky enough to be part of it.

On 6 July 2007, I was in Trafalgar Square in London with my youngest daughter to hear whether our home town had won the right to host the 2012 Olympic/Paralympic Games. The emotion as the decision was announced was simply incredible and I was glad I had switched my work dates so I could go along with my daughter.

Sadly our joy was short lived as the tragic events of the London bombings the next day brought home the stark reality of terrorism and the challenge the London Games would face seven years later.

When the decision had been made, I had already decided I wanted to be part of the 2012 Games. After all, I was born in London, lived just four miles from the proposed stadium and reckoned my various skills (bilingual in Turkish, media experience and assorted transferable skills) could get me in.

I applied and then heard nothing for ages. So I also applied to be a London Ambassador as I thought if a Gamesmaker role was not forthcoming, I would be able to help out as a volunteer anyway. In the event, I was accepted by both. But a Gamesmaker is what I wanted to do the most.

It was difficult to live with the negativity of people prior to the Games, doomsayers who believed Britain could not pull off such a prestigious world class event. But I thought sink or swim, I was going to be part of this.

I was eventually given a role as a National Olympic Committee Assistant (NOC) for Azerbaijan in the Olympic Village. I performed a similar role for the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) for Turkey. These roles were selected for me due to my language skills. (I had hoped to get into the media section somehow as my working life had been mainly based on a Turkish community newspaper).

But I was undeterred, I was in.

I went through the orientation training, venue specific training and picked up the uniform from UDAC with huge excitement.

I managed to meet other colleagues prior to the Games and we showed up on the first day eager to please. Our Chef de Mission was a formidable character and seemed to me to be old-skool Soviet. As such his manner was a bit brusque and I would have found it very difficult to work with him were it not for his staff who were lovely and genuinely friendly.

They could not believe we were doing all this for nothing, a comment they made time and time again. I said my reason for doing it was because as guests in my country, it was my pleasure to host them and be part of the whole experience.

I have lots of fond memories but three stick out with Azerbaijan. One morning I was asked to take the Azerbaijan Olympic cyclist to a place so she could cycle 60kms. I would drop her off and then follow in the BMW cycle car with her coaching team. I decided to take them to Woodford Road, about five miles from the Village. It’s a straight road up to Epping, a ten mile stretch with relatively light traffic and forest on both sides. I stopped to let her out and her Russian coach set up the cycle and she sped off! Her coach asked me to wait two minutes while he and his assistant had a quick smoke. I watched as the cyclist disappeared from view, worrying about how we would find her. The coach got in and looked at me and said simply ‘go’. It took us 10 minutes to catch her up on that road. We stopped in Epping and the cyclist simply cycled up and down until she had completed her 60kms. And where did she come in the road race? Failed to finish! I did hear the trainer went out again with the cyclist with someone apparently who knew a better route. They really weren’t happy with that though and said my route for training was far better.

The second thing was going with the team to some posh Azerbaijan restaurant in Knightsbridge. It was a cocktail event but they had a big flat screen TV on the wall, showing the Games but on mute. It was Super Saturday. I watched Mo Farah’s 10,000m triumph in the company of the Azeri 5,000m runner. She was in awe of Mo and was thrilled that he won.

On the opening night of the Games, I was part of the team leading the athletes from the Village to the stadium, a distance of about 1km. The entire way was lined with screaming and cheering school kids, all shouting out for the various countries as we walked by. The athletes absolutely loved it and it was a truly incredible experience. A fellow Gamesmaker told me to look up at the hovering helicopter and I saw two people jump out. Who knew it was James Bond and her majesty the Queen?!

The Olympic experience was at times exhausting, frustrating and baffling. We worked long hours, drove the BMWs all over town, struggled to understand what our Chef de Mission wanted and despaired at protocol which made us prepare the Azeri base for a visit by a government minister which in the end did not go ahead.

I always had a hunch I would enjoy the Paralympics more, not just because I would be placed with the Turkish team. Their arrival was problematic and there were lots of issues at the Village with accommodation. Eventually things were sorted but medical supplies put in storage for the team by the outgoing Turkish Olympic team, were missing. For three days the team doctor was on the verge of tears because she could not locate the supplies. I decided along with two other colleagues we would track them down. It took us all morning but I eventually found them in an underground garage. It was vital we located them and also the gift for the Village the team leader would present at the Team Welcome Ceremony the next day. The team doctor wept again but for different reasons when we showed up with the supplies.

The Paralympians certainly challenged my perceptions of what I thought disability was

I also took the doctor on a tour of the venues in East London and we enjoyed chatting between the various different places. She was a remarkable woman and has been involved in the paralympic movement in Turkey for many years.

I had a very proud moment when I led the team to their Welcome Ceremony in the Village Plaza. I held the Turkey placard and the team followed, singing loudly. They made everyone turn and smile with their passion for their country and being so boisterous.

The paralympians certainly challenged my perceptions of what I thought  disability was. These folk were truly amazing and made me feel a little ashamed for being able bodied and not doing more with my life.

A funny moment was when I congratulated the Turkish Paralympian who had won the gold medal in power lifting. I shook her hand and it felt like my bones were being crushed!

I made some amazing friends among my colleagues and we all worked together so well. Sadly some have disappeared to other lands and we don’t live close enough to meet up. But they were incredible to work with and inspired by the Games.

A negative experience was listening to the Turkish team leader slagging off the 2012 organisers for not sorting out their accommodation quickly enough. That was a low point. As was one of their government ministers complaining about the level of security. I eventually – and politely – had to point out that London suffered a terrorist outrage the day after winning the Games and that it was better safe than sorry when it came to keeping everyone safe. All he could say to that was ‘oh’.

In all, 2012 was one of the most incredible experiences. My personal life at this time was very stressful and it is ironic that I will remember 2012 as one of the best and one of the worst of my life.

That aside, I count myself so fortunate to have been part of something so huge, a part of sporting history and a tiny cog in the LOCOG machine that helped Britain deliver the Games successfully.