York Sport President Sam Asfahani has been asked to carry the Olympic Torch for a section of its relay around the country ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
On Tuesday 19th June next year, the torch will arrive from Hull, and York will hold an ‘Olympic Torch evening celebration’ before it continues its journey onto Carlisle en route to its final destination, the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday 27th July for the lighting of the cauldron at the opening ceremony.
Kersten England, City of York Council chief executive, said it was an “honour” for the city, and has challenged torch bearers “to think of unusual ways to transport the torch around the city.”
Asfahani told Vision, “I got a call from a chap from Barclays and Jane Grenville (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for students) asking if I would like to carry the torch.”
The Official London 2012 Olympics website describes the 8,000 chosen torch bearers as, “truly inspirational people” who, “inspire their community, the UK and the world”. Asfahani’s inclusion would appear to be recognition of his work as York American Football Co-Founder and as York Sport President.
A Facebook page entitled “The Awkward moment Sam Asfahani Drops the Olympic Torch” has already attracted 74 ‘likes’, although it is yet to be seen which “unusual” way of transporting the torch the York Sport president will employ for his section of the relay.
The Olympic Torch route, which covers every nation and region in the UK and includes island visits, sees the torch travel 8,000 miles nationwide. However, unlike some previous relays, the flame will only travel through Greece and the UK, rather than round the world.