Security risks in London 2012 Olympics tackled in TV documentary

MANILA, Philippines – The countdown for the 30^th Olympic Games that will be held in London has begun.
Along with the European football championships in Poland and Ukraine, 2012 promises to be a major year for sports.

To experience the exhilaration of these live competitive events and support their national teams, millions of people will flock to these events in excitement and good cheer.

This July, Discovery Channel sheds light on how the anticipation for the games can be marred by concerns that a major terrorist threat could turn a celebration of human achievement into a nightmare.

Learning from past events that were disrupted by terrorism, Sport Under Threat reveals how organizers of sporting events handle the increased risk of terrorist activity, and what security measures are being taken at the 2012 London Games.

Sport Under Threat premieres this Sunday, July 15, at 9:00 p.m. Encores on Monday, July 16 at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and Saturday, July 21 at 11:00 a.m.

The Olympic games – an event intended as a vehicle for just ideals, where fair and equal competition as well as international peace and understanding brings nations together for the world’s biggest sporting event. With vast crowds, countless news reel cameras and worldwide press coverage, leading athletes are made household names. But with the accolades have come the unwelcome attentions of those who choose to use sport for political ends. Now, the Olympic Games stand at the mercy of anyone with an axe to grind, grimaces to air, or point to prove.

From the 1972 Munich Games where terrorist group Black September made hostages of members from the Israeli athletic team into a bargaining chip for the release of Palestinian prisoners, to the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 where the race was halted in the middle of the Indian Ocean due to pirate-infested waters, Sport Under Threat draws from an archive of past events that display how more than ever before, sport is no longer unaffected by political, criminal or military issues. Interviews with members of the International Olympic Committee and security officials are also featured, among which includes interviews with chief executive officer of the London organizing committee, Paul Deighton, senior analyst at London’s security specialists Control Risks David Lea, and Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Chris Allison.

As the host city to the world’s biggest party, London has been given a great undertaking. This July, Discovery Channel’s compelling documentary Sport Under Threat will take an unprecedented look at the Olympics, and provide viewers with a unique and dramatic insight into dangers posed and the significant steps taken by the organisers to keep the Games and its visiting guests safe and sound.