Both events are going to absorb substantial amounts of public money and the current buzzword is legacy, which in plain English means what the taxpayer will be left with after the two-week sportfests have moved on. Sir Sebastian Coe has already been to Inverness to try and convince us that the London Olympics will be our games too, while representatives from Glasgow also insist that the benefits of the Commonwealth Games will stretch beyond the Central Belt.

We would like to believe them, but the signs are not promising. Realistically, London can offer us little other than increased investment in national sporting organisations, some of which will hopefully reach the grassroots here. Other ideas that could be looked at are subsidised ticket and travel packages for people living further than a day trip away from London and a quota system to guarantee that volunteering opportunities at the games are shared out across the country.

The Commonwealth Games are a different matter. Inverness, as one of Scotland's major cities, ought to be in line for something more tangible than an invitation to join a national celebration of sport. Why, for instance, has it not been chosen to host one of the pre-games training camps that are being set up around the country? For a modest investment, facilities for one of a number of sports, including badminton and judo, could easily be created here.

At least part of the answer is to do with time it takes to travel between Inverness and the Central Belt, but that can be rectified. What a legacy it would be if the games finally secured for the Highlands and fast rail link to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

No better time to seek support

STILL on the subject of sporting excellence, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of Inverness Ice Centre.

The building at the Bught has produced world and Olympic champions and is a popular venue for family skating. Yet it has teetered on the brink of closure a number of times and is now run as a charity by a committee of sterling volunteers, covering its costs but without the resources to contemplate the major upgrade the ageing building really requires.

The demand is certainly there to justify a significant investment and, as we reveal today, tentative discussions are taking place involving a number of bodies that could see the committee's ambitious plans realised.

The potential is enormous. A dedicated curling arena with spectator seating could attract a host of major competitions and encourage the next generation of Olympians in a sport in which the region already excels. An expanded rink could do the same for figure skating and ice hockey while doubling as a venue for conferences and concerts. Other options include a museum of curling, which would be an additional tourist draw alongside the new archive centre.

We urge those involved in the current talks to push ahead and seize the moment. There will never be a better time to seek support and funding than when politicians in both Edinburgh and London are basking in the reflected glory of sporting achievement.

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