London 2012: If The Worst Happens?

With less than a year to go until the Olympic Games open next Summer, the organisers are probably experiencing one or two sleepless nights. If everything goes to plan, we are told that London 2012 will be the greatest show on earth. But what if something goes wrong? The vast risks are being managed in a number of ways, including by insurance.

What are the key risks?

First, there is the possibility that the Olympic Games are cancelled altogether. Unlikely though this might seem, it is not unknown. The Olympic Games were cancelled three times during the time of two World Wars. In 1908, whilst the Games went ahead, they were relocated from Rome to London: the eruption of Vesuvius meant Italian funds had to be diverted to a domestic recovery programme.