From the archive: What the Olympics mean to me

When London hosted the Olympics in 2012, I contributed to a feature in The Psychologist that invited psychologists to answer the question 'What does the Olympics mean to you?' I was a trainee sport and exercise psychologist then, but more interested in exercise than sports.

My piece considered the ambitious promise at the heart of the London 2012 bid, that the Games would be a catalyst that would inspire people to lead more active lives.

Drawing on data from other host nations, and some of the literature and evidence about the barriers and drivers to physical activity, my piece was sceptical to say the least, concluding 'Unfortunately it seems likely that much of the potential of 2012 will not be harnessed adequately, in time, or at all'.

This appears to have come to pass, at least in part. Research commissioned by London Sport to mark the 10-year anniversary of the 2012 Games found that whilst impressions toward the Olympic 'legacy' were broadly positive, the same demographic groups are still more likely to be inactive (although some London boroughs are no longer ranked as the most inactive as a result of some initiatives and investment aimed at improving facilities and green spaces).

Now, cost-of-living factors have caused half of London adults to cut back on sport and leisure, with local authority-run leisure centres at higher risk of closure as a result.

Whilst I remain engaged with research and work in areas such as body image, shame, and stigma in fitness settings, my 'day job' is now within substance use and addiction. Every day, I and my colleagues see the impact of long-term health inequalities across London's diverse communities.

Helen O'Connor