Empty tables and chairs

It is indicative of the hype surrounding Team GB that people should be so surprised at their lack of success in the Olympic medals table so far.

Only slightly less surprising is the sight of empty seats in some of the venues. As those of us who've attended major sporting events will know all too well from bitter experience, a good.number of the tickets are by corporate allocation, with the result being that most of those guests fail to show up. As to the lack of Olympic success, perhaps we can put it down to that noble British tradition of bringing sport to the world - and now the world pays back.

Bravo to the tireless (Lord) Sebastian Coe however, for speedily organising a ticketing system for spectators on the day.