The 2012 Olympics will be watched by approximately two billion people worldwide. Nine million tickets will be sold to 500,000 spectators. 20,000 journalists will report on the performances of 17,000 athletes and, in total, the 2012 Games will cost over half a trillion baht. These dizzying figures seemed all the more difficult to comprehend as Thailand’s under-23s took on their Palestinian counterparts in the first round, first leg of the men’s Olympic football preliminary round.
When IOC suits talk about the “Magic of the Games” they probably don’t have the rather unglamorous reality of a near-deserted and slightly crumbling Suphachalasai Stadium on a wet Wednesday night in mind. Just 1500 fans were present as Thailand won 1-0. It was the first stop on the long road to the football competition at London 2012. To be honest, though, Team Thai are very unlikely to be on the plane to the British capital. They could definitely rue missing a host of very clear cut chances in this game. The second leg is on March 9th and will mark the momentous occasion of Palestine’s first ever competitive home match. In that kind of environment Thailand will find it tough to hold onto their slender lead.