Former Olympic torch bearer slams ‘disgraceful’ eBay sales May 22 2012A former Wales’ rugby international who carried the Olympic torch before the London games in 1948 says those selling torches from this year’s games for profit are a “disgrace”.
Former Cardiff RFC captain and Neath player Charles Derek Williams has treasured the torch he carried in 1948 and hit out at those who began selling theirs before the first day of this year’s torch relay was completed on Saturday.
Among those selling the torches on online auction website eBay was Sarah Milner Simonds, from Burnham-on-Sea, who received a bid of more than £150,000.
The torchbearer, who was nominated for her work as a community gardener for the People’s Plot, said she put hers up for sale to raise money for the project she represents.
Some torchbearers have pledged to donate all or part of the proceeds from sales to charity.
But Mr Williams, 87, from Cardiff, said he was angered by those looking to profit for themselves, rather than people raising cash for charity.
The former rugby star, who earned two Welsh caps in the mid-1950s, said: “It’s disgraceful. It demeans the whole thing.
“If they want it for themselves that’s not right. I think that’s nothing but sheer selfishness and narrow-mindedness.
“If they’re going to give it to charity that’s a different matter.”
Torch bearers have had to pay the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) about £200 for their torches. Some say this has led to the commercialisation of the relay.
An advance group of vehicles in the relay, which travels between five and seven minutes ahead of the runner, contains three trucks sponsored by official Olympic sponsors Coca-Cola, Samsung and Lloyds TSB.
Impressive all-round sportsman Mr Williams, who played first-class cricket for Oxford University, boxed at amateur level and later became a two handicap golfer, will take his version of the Olympic torch to Llandaff Cathedral School, in Cardiff, on Wednesday.
Best known as CD Williams, he was also a middle-distance runner who missed out on competing at the 1948 Olympics. He was taking time off work to play cricket and couldn’t have any further leave to train for the London Games.
The former research scientist, who gained a DPhil in molecular structures at Oxford, said he’s never considered selling the 64-year-old torch, which is still kept in a cabinet at home.
Mr Williams, who is president of Cardiff Athletics Club, added: “As far as I’m concerned it holds much more sentimental feelings for me.
“Now, of course, it’s all about money. The present torch relay is all about money and advertising.”
A spokesperson for LOCOG said the torches belong to the torchbearers and it was “up to them what they do with them”.
“Obviously it was aimed that they would be for the torchbearers to keep at home but if they choose to sell them, then we hope that they go to a good owner,” said the spokesperson.
Each torch costs £495 to produce so they were being sold to torchbearers at a heavily subsidised rate, the spokesman said.
Torches have been sold at six of the last seven games and with the exception of Beijing the ones produced for London were the cheapest.
The LOCOG spokesperson added: “We are not making a profit from the sale of these torches, we are just covering costs.
“With regards to the commercialisation of the games, without the money from the sponsors we would not be able to run the games and it would ultimately result in the taxpayer footing the cost.”
Torchbearer Ms Milner said she was dismayed that people who objected to her decision to sell the torch had started sending her abusive e-mails.
She told BBC Breakfast yesterday: “Obviously it has really upset people, but I think that it’s not something that is really me – to keep my shiny trophy on a mantelpiece when it is obvious how much good one can do with the money that someone might be willing to pay for it.”
Source; http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... -31018094/
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