Do you think this will help

[bazwillrun]

turn the olympics into a political event ?

http://www.telegraph....opening-ceremony.html

ali fine, hes a sportsperson, but she has nothing to do with sport and it will be no more than politicising the olympics.

Its bad enough that its turned into a "commercial" circus but now they also want to make it a political event

[ichkeria]

This sounds a bit like a desperate attempt at a story to me. I would be amazed if Mr Boyle's idea would be taken seriously.
Using political figures, even inspiring ones such as Aung San Suu Kyi, is not what the Olympics should be about although it would be highly preferable to some of the commercial excesses already perpetrated.
As for Aung San Suu Kyi lighting the flame - well that simply isn't going to happen, and comes across as idle speculation in any case on the part of the author.

[cathfromsaron]

ali ... ok

she is too political and they should try to keep politics out of sport!

[emmie]

neither would be good, he is largely unable to speak, and she is a political icon, so perhaps best not to be considered.

[FredPuli43]

Is The Telegraph turning into the Mail ? All it needs is a headline with a question mark, when the answer to the question is 'No' for the transformation to be complete..

This is 'unlikely'. It won't happen. Boyle is thinking outside the box (o whatever the artistic expression is).

[emmie]

Mr Boyle should stick to making films, i know he is involved in the opening ceremony and perhaps that will be good, but Ali a once great, is a shadow now, and i wouldn't put him up there at any point.

[anotheoldgit]

I doubt if they would have been chosen to light the cauldron, but she is an international figure, and he a celebrity boxer, so there is nothing wrong in inviting them along to the opening ceremony, but according to the report neither of them will be going along.

At the Chinese Olympics;

/// The flame was carried into the stadium by Greek rowing world champion Christina Giazitzidou, and given to Greek weightlifter Pyrros Dimas and Chinese gymnast Li Ning, who lit the cauldron at the 2008 Beijing Games.///

Who should we choose for these honours?

[FredPuli43]

David Beckham. Only British sportsman known worldwide. Or John Terry, for his acknowledged contibution to peace and harmony across families and races.

[woofgang]

At this late stage I am fairly sure that the ceremony is planned pretty much down to the last detail.

[Duncer]

No need to pick Terry, he'll muscle in and lift a medal somewhere along the line.

[ichkeria]

Sir Roger Bannister is a fair bet. It is - presumably - going to be a British Olympian or Olympians of the past, thereby ruling out Ali or Beckham.

[Duncer]

Good call.

[ichkeria]

Sir Roger never won an Olympic medal of course, but I have heard rumours (NOT from the DT!) that he and Steve Redgrave are likely to perform a joint lighting.
But it'll probably end up being Jedward, Rihanna and Joey Barton :-)

[AliceTickband]

and, of course, there is always will i am to call upon.......I hope you noticed the hint of sarcasm there!

[Ric.ror]

No one will ever win gold medals in 5 consecutive olympics - of course Sir Steve should light it
As for Ali - some might consider him to be a racist and boxing to be legalised violence