Why won't they let us honour Steve Redgrave?

12:32pm Friday 15th August 2008

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IT IS now eight years since our country's greatest Olympian, Sir Steve Redgrave, won his fifth gold medal in successive Games.

His neighbours in Marlow Bottom were determined to mark this achievement with a permanent commemorative feature.

This was a sculpture showing rowing positions against five circles representing the five gold medals.

A collection in the valley was to be augmented by a grant, but our applications to several different funding organisations proved unsuccessful, but very time consuming.

Nevertheless, we were determined to press ahead and sought planning permission, another lengthy, but ultimately successful, process.

However, that permission came with a condition that approval for the design should be sought from the British Olympic Committee, despite the design representing the five gold medals, not the Olympic rings.

And that is where matters are now stuck. It seems incredible to residents in the valley that with preparations in full swing for the London Games in 2012, there should be any quibbles about celebrating Sir Steve and the Olympic movement that provided the opportunities for success in sport.

We had supposed that any initiative that promoted the Olympic movement and its ideals would receive enthusiastic endorsement.

However it appears this once great movement can't be bothered with the efforts of a small community to honour a local son who made his mark on world athletics.

We are all poorer as a result and it serves to feed the cynicism that afflicts our society at present.

Peter Borrows, Chairman, Marlow Bottom Valley Residents Association