Professor Andrea Vicari was clear and diplomatic in a letter to the editor published a few days ago in the Guardian. Vicari was replying to a suggestion from Guardian writer that musicians play without pay for the honor of being associated with the games.

I would have been a bit less polite…

First, I would remind readers of the multiple scandals in recent years, in particular those involving bribery and the International Olympic Committee. With that amount of money floating around the quadrennial faux-“amateur’ sporting extravaganza, not to mention the millions in corporate sponsorships, I would have suggested that the UK’s Musicians’ Union urge members not to participate unless they were paid at least double their normal fee. It’s not as if the IOC can’t afford it. And it would be a real shame if a miscue or two disrupted the flow of the overblown opening and closing ceremonies, if you know what I mean. Just sayin’…