Olympic torch carriers cashing in.

[venator]

The runners are given a souvenir torch, and they seem to be on Ebay for loadsa money.

If this cash isn't going to charity, there's something very wrong.

Are the organisers so stupidly naive, or what?

http://www.ebay.co.uk....c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

[TheNovice]

surely if it's a gift, it's up to the individual what they do with it. Nothing whatsover to do with the organisers.

[snags]

I thought the bearers had to pay to keep their torch...

[TheNovice]

think you may be right Snags, but whatever it's the individuals choice.For all we know the money rasied on e-bay may well be donated to a charity.

[tonyav]

If I had one I'd Flog it.

[venator]

Yes, they appear to be stupidly naive -

http://www.dailymail....tml?ito=feeds-newsxml

[TheNovice]

ah the good old Daily Mail.....that explains it.

[snags]

The torch bearers fork out £240 to keep their torch.

If they miss a certain deadline the fee rises to £260 - excluding the stand which costs an extra £40.

The torches were being heavily subsidised and each torch costs £495 to produce.

Any torches that aren't sold will go into the London 2012 Memorabilia Programme and available for the public to purchase.

[TheOtherHalf]

If Id had the honour of being a torchbearer I dont think I would sell it. Im very sentimental about these things. Lots of medals from ancestors could fetch something as would a mint condition cartwheel tuppence but these are treasures to me and so would the torch be. I would pass it down to my ancestors and it would be up to them whether they sold it or not.

[snags]

''If I had one I'd Flog it''

So would I.

[venator]

Not for these obscene amounts of money, toh?

http://www.ebay.co.uk....c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

[jno]

this has been very much a money-driven Olympics all along, with sponsors driving rivals off the streets, ordinary people unable to use Olympic symbols, and the wealthy given extra chances to buy tickets. Can't blame the torchbearers for wanting to cash in too. Good luck to them. I won't be bidding.

[commoner]

What would you do Ven with your 150k if you had the same chance?.....give it all away?.....really?.

Didn't think the Olympic Games was supposed to be a charity event or have I missed something?

[Frank97]

Wow, that's a bit steep!

[dotty.]

wasn't there an original 1948 torch on the antiques roadshow last week, with a photo of the original bearer too? it wasn't valued very highly was it?

[FredPuli43]

There's a 1948 torch in the OP link at £8,500, which is nearer the mark. How many 2012 ones are there? The figures given are somehat unrealistic, to put it mildly and would probably be if there were only one.

Yes, I'd sell it. It's the bearer's property, they've bought it: nothing wrong in selling it.

[commoner]

Ebay has 30 bids on one of this years plus the runners suit ..current bid £150,300....whoops ..can't stop must get my bid in...Heh heh!

[ELVIS68]

P&P. Courier?

For that money I'd want it delivered by Usain Bolt, same day!

[venator]

All Im saying is that they have had 8000 torches made (in China??) at the taxpayers expense.

They are then selling them at a loss to the bearers.

If the bearers can make a profit of ,say, £1000 on each that's EIGHT MILLION POUNDS.

Why didn't the stupid naive plonkers take the torches back and sell them to the highest bidders for the Olympic charities?

[DTCwordfan]

How many scams in there?????