The American Olympics
September 30th, 2009 at 6:08 am by David FarrarPresident Obama’s decision to go to Copenhagen to lobby for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics, must help their chances of winning.
I’m not sure though it is desirable for the Olympics to keep returning to the US so often.
The US hosted the Olympics in St Louis in 1904 and then LA in 1932. A 52 year break and then LA again in 1984 and only 12 years until Atlanta in 1996.
If Chicago gets it in 2016, then that is three US hostings out of the last nine.
Of course it is technically cities not countries that host it, but in reality they are national bids.
The four bids for 2016 were scored by the IOC as:
- Tokyo 8.3
- Madrid 8.1
- Chicago 7.0
- Rio de Janeiro 6.3
It will be interesting to see who wins.
Tags: Olympics
September 30th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Go Tokyo!
Seriously, who’s going to support the US in a bid? Not with an underlying terrorist threat from some mad mullahs.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 7:22 am
expat – I think IOC members would be more worried about the chances of being robbed or killed by locals. Chicago is not exactly the safest US city.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Obama would not risk going and losing, too much egg on face. Thet must have had a heads up that Chicago will win.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Hmmm, he’ll go to Copenhagen to try to secure the Olympics for Chicago, but won’t go there for the Climate Summit!
Not a good look from where I’m sitting.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 7:51 am
You know who else hosted an Olympics? Adolf Hitler.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Adolf Obama – has a certain ring to it.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Toad…
With all the flying involved in an Olympics (competitors, officials, spectators, media), they’ll have to scrap the event if we want to save the world from global warming. In fact, since we’re being told that the world is either past or almost at the “tipping point”, then it’d be best if London were canceled just to make sure.
But what was Key doing in New York the other day, trying to encourage Americans to visit NZ? We’ll never meet NZ’s Kyoto obligations, let alone the carbon reductions that actors have demanded, if people continue to arrive in NZ and drive around in their camper vans. Or drive to ski fields. Or fly to Fiordland. Key should have announced that we’re scrapping the whole concept of tourist visas and becoming the world’s first Green Tourist Free country. And that the people made unemployed by this policy would be given temporary jobs killing cows.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 8:56 am
To be honest, I think anyone who wants to host an Olympics has an economic death-wish.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Sounds like the Stimulus package.
Honestly, I can’t think of a more corrupt – sorry – *deserving* city.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Sigh, even the Obama-voters I know in my second home don’t think this is a good idea.
Still, Daley believes in large, well-funded central government, so the whole thing is probably just another 30% skimming job for mates. There certainly is not any other funding coming down the pike; the city is already so broke that it recently had to privatise all of its parking meters.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 11:46 am
But if you are looking at geographically balance that should rule Madrid out as an European city would have hosted the previous one and possibly Tokyo because an East Asian city hosted the one before that
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 11:56 am
How about Mt Olympus. Build a dedicated site. Limit it to running, throwing, wrestling, jumping, and perhaps swimming. No team sports. No animals. And they all compete naked like in the old days. Might be worth watching then.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I think most want to pretend Atlanta Olympics did not happen.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
In case you guys have forgotten, Obama is a little bit closer to Chicago than just being the president of the country that it exists within…Of course this has national interest implications but also it is probably of a more regional and local interest for him to see the city he no doubt loves get the Olympics.
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
How the hell are they going to afford the paper and ink they’ll need, to print the money they’ll need, to host a bloody Olympics? Surely no banker worth his annual bonus would even consider increasing the US’ Mastercard limit any further than they already have?
Vote:September 30th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
The winner will be the loser. A thoughtful child could work this out. Why would anyone want it? I give up. Whichever gets it will deserve it.
Vote:October 1st, 2009 at 12:42 am
Well for a start they are broke …
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