2016 Summer Olympics.

[utopian_grrl]

Rio de Janeiro won. Why?! I am not surprised by the end result, but I am surprised that Chicago was knocked off in the first round. BEFORE Tokyo. BEFORE Madrid. I am so bitter. Obviously America still hasn't recovered it's international standing since the-President-who-shall-not-be-named entered office nearly a decade ago. I really wanted to go to the 2016 Olympics - it's a life dream of mine. And considering I planned on eventually settling down in Chicago, it would have been ideal.

There is no way I'm going to Rio in 2016. There is no way I can go to Vancouver in 2010. And most likely London's 2012 Olympics will be too expensive to attempt while I'm in grad school. And a 2014 winter Olympics in Russia doesn't sound appealing.

[millenniumman75]

How do you know it had anything to do with the President?
We just had a Summer Olympics here in 1996 and a Winter Olympics in 2002!
The ones before it were 1980 Winter and 1984 Summer.

Rio has been trying to GET an Olympics since at least 1993 (when they picked 2000)! They lost 2000 to Sydney, and 2004 to Athens.

[Toad Licker]

I was surprised Chicago was even in the running there are several other cities in the US that would've been a better choice IMO.

[PGVan]

Chicago had no chance from the beginning, with the main reasons that not only have their been two recent Olympics in the United States (1996 and 2002), but also that both those events had their own negative events. Atlanta had a bomb go off that forced the IOC to decide whether or not to even continue the event, and Salt Lake City's committee had a bribery scandal. The only reason Chicago was supposedly favoured to win was because the US media said so. They made a huge deal about Obama (along with his wife and Oprah) going to the IOC Session in Kobenhavn to "get the Olympics" for Chicago. Reality is that Obama only spending 4 hours there, and then leaving before the vote, was an insult to IOC members. The heads of state (or government) for Spain, Brazil and Japan were all there for the entire session and were actually involved in their bids in more of a way than a simple speech at the final session.

In my opinion, based on the bids, Madrid should have won. They should have won the 2012 Olympics, but London somehow pulled the rug out from under their feet. Where this vote became political, is the fact that no South American city has ever held the Olympics. Beijing got the 2008 Olympics because no Chinese city had ever held it. South Africa got the 2010 World Cup because it has never been held in Africa before. Although I'm sure the 2014 World Cup being in Brazil helped Rio's bid, the easiest way to win one of the two major world sporting events (Olympics or World Cup), is to never have held it before in your country or on your continent. Rio de Janeiro winning should have been seen from miles away.

[Micronian]

Then again, Spain already got an olympics in 1992. I think having the olympics in Rio is a good choice. They will have an infrastructure already in place from the World Cup, so that is a big help.

I'm not sure if the famous Maracaná stadium has an athletic track though...

[EagerMinnow84]

As much as I didn't want the Olympics, I was really surprised that it was out in the first round. It was always Rio and Chicago. Something really bad must have happened between then and now.

[utopian_grrl]

It's not so much that I'm shocked that Chicago didn't win, I'm just surprised that it got knocked out in the first round. I think Manhattan was up for the host city for the 2012 Olympics. It lost for a variety of factors, one being that Manhattan is already ridiculously over-populated. Tokyo has the same problem. Chicago would have been a better choice.

Madrid isn't so bad, but you have to consider that with 2012 in London & 2014 in Russia, having 3 straight Olympics in Europe is unfair. Asia had the 2008 Olympics. The great majority of South America is corrupt and/or without adequate infrastructure, so it only leaves Canada and America as viable candidates on this side of the world...until Rio.

[kikachuck]

This whole discussion rests on the assumption that winning the olympics is some sort of prize anyway

Seems like it would just be a huge pain in the *** and (usually) a huge financial loss.

[PGVan]

Originally Posted by EagerMinnow84

As much as I didn't want the Olympics, I was really surprised that it was out in the first round. It was always Rio and Chicago. Something really bad must have happened between then and now.

That's the thing though, I don't believe Chicago ever had a chance. Chicago being a favourite was simply something cooked up by US media to make American people believe that was the case.

As I said earlier, the last two Olympics in the US had a bombing and a bribery scandal respectively. That alone likely meant they had no chance to begin with. Also, as I mentioned as well, Obama probably left a bitter taste in the IOC's mouth by only going to Kobenhavn for 4 hours, and leaving before the vote even took place. The IOC is a political organization. The best bid doesn't always win.

The two true favourites were there in the end. Madrid likely did have a strike against them because 2012 and 2014 are in Europe. Rio de Janeiro had the advantage of South America never having hosted the games. Brazil also has the 2014 World Cup, and that worked to their advantage as well.

[millenniumman75]

Originally Posted by kikachuck

This whole discussion rests on the assumption that winning the olympics is some sort of prize anyway

Seems like it would just be a huge pain in the *** and (usually) a huge financial loss.

From what I have heard, it usually is a loss in the long run. All that is left are the venues.

Athens almost didn't have their stuff together in time for their Olympics. There were places that had to be redesigned! Beijing had trouble with severe smog and bad air quality.

[Perfectionist]

^The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver were supposed to cost like $600 million, but with all the additional transportation projects (massive construction to the highway between Vancouver and Whistler) and extra stuff they are estimating it'll cost 2.5 billion. All our venues are done though, I think. And the Olympic village is supposed to be done next month last time I checked.

I figured it would be Rio. I wasn't too surprised.

[Phibes]

The only sport I really get into is cricket. Soccer (Football) is pretty good too.

[Banzai]

Originally Posted by utopian_grrl

And most likely London's 2012 Olympics will be too expensive to attempt while I'm in grad school.

Don't bother - Whilst London looks really good, the area that it is going to be hosted in is far from nice (it is actually one of the most deprived areas in the UK so how on earth it won host country is beyond me) and probably not for the SA person either.

[Hadron]

Originally Posted by Banzai

Don't bother - Whilst London looks really good, the area that it is going to be hosted in is far from nice (it is actually one of the most deprived areas in the UK so how on earth it won host country is beyond me) and probably not for the SA person either.

Maybe you are right, but still, I personally can't wait for it. I can practically get to the olympic village from where I live in 10 minutes.

But then again, I think it really depends on whether you are really into sports, which I'm. I don't know about you, though.

[Banzai]

Originally Posted by Hadron

Maybe you are right, but still, I personally can't wait for it. I can practically get to the olympic village from where I live in 10 minutes.

But then again, I think it really depends on whether you are really into sports, which I'm. I don't know about you, though.

Yes, whilst I do like sports and have nothing against the Olympics, I just think the location wasn't the best choice and if you once lived in a very deprived area, you will know what I'm talking about - mostly crappy council flats, deserted high roads (I'm talking about outside the immediate area btw since they are currrently making the main olympics area look all nice and glam), etc etc. That area is quite small and mostly a residential area so it will be interesting to see how it will cope with a massive influx of foreigners. I think the plan was to shift all the foreigners to the capital anyway so that way they won't see much of the real inner city London anyway (outside of the main olympics area).

But who knows - maybe it was a good thing since they are "regenerating" the area - it'll give the area a chance to un-deprive itself perhaps.

Do you plan on taking part in the Olmpics btw? I can't imagine anyone to be that excited about it .

[Hadron]

Originally Posted by Banzai

Do you plan on taking part in the Olmpics btw? I can't imagine anyone to be that excited about it .

Ha! I wish. Unfortunately though, I don't have the time to train in a particular sport for long enough in order to be decent enough to participate (yes, it is after all all about practice - that's why you will find most olympians today training for crazy amounts of time before participating...this much time I will never have).