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Diana

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Posts posted by Diana

  2. Lord Seb - future IOC member/pres?

    in General Olympics Discussion

    Posted

    Well, I don't think just anyone, even in the Windsor family. Princess Anne is an IOC member but she did take part in the 1976 Montreal Olympics in the equestrian events. I think all the royal members of the IOC have had at least some active involvement as an Olympic athlete. But I tend to agree that having a royal title is very likely an advantage over those athletes who have not.

    But it is highly unlikely that another member of the Windsor family would be appointed to the IOC. One would be seen as "enough."

    And, regarding Seb Coe's inappropriate remarks, the head of an OC should never have an opinion aobut his/her country's athletes or the IOC....his/her job is to be an impartial OC leader, mostly cheerleading for the Games, and never becoming mired in specific athletes or countries.....

    The thing is, I think it's only the IOC president who is paid a salary. All the others, only their expenses are paid by the IOC; but they are strictly 'voluntary' (i.e., no salary) positions--thus the reason that aristocrats and industrialists (all who have means of support while they are partying and convocating) are chosen to serve.

    That's part of the reason they are picked, but the most important reason is that the IOC (and past and current presidents) like to be seen with "royalty" surrounding them, and keeping the IOC well above the mobs.

  4. Paralympics and Olympics merger

    in General Olympics Discussion

    Posted

    Even if this were a good idea, the IOC wouldn't do it. Philosophically, it doesn't fit with the OG.

    Not a good idea because would take too long (now 3 weekends & 2 weeks in between), would be almost impossible to get volunteers to run them, high cost (now, they have 2 budgets for the OG and the Paralympics), not enough support for ParaLympics in the IOC member nations (athletes with disabilities are not given opportunities to train and/or compete in many countries)....

  5. Toronto 2015

    in Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games

    Posted

    Baseball > Softball any day.

    But women's softball is already on the program.

    Softball (played only by women in the OG) and baseball (men) were dropped from the program.

    Women don't usually play baseball.

    Both groups have been lobbying to get back into the OG.

  9. Toronto 2015

    in Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games

    Posted

    Not surprising that the track facility has been a topic of conversation.

    Football, both amateur and pro, don't like stadiums that have a track. Football fans/owners etc like to have the crowd close to the game. A track puts the fans too far away from the game they believe.

    Here in Kingston, the university (Queen's) has plans to renovate their stadium, without a track in it. Only an artificial turf field.

    Not surprisingly, the plans are on "hold" due to the gigantic cost and the other expansion of the university.

    Needless to say, the track people are not pleased, nor are many others. A stadium that hosts as few as 4 games a year, and soccer, is a strange use of money.

    But, to get back to the PAG....track really should be hosted in Toronto; I have thought that all along. Hamilton can build a much more useable stadium for football, soccer and field hockey, etc. With good programming, it can be used from dawn to dusk in the summer, and a lot of time in the shoulder seasons.

  10. 15th Fina World Championships In 2013

    in Other International Games / Bids

    Posted

    Both Belgrade and Madrid have hosted them before.

    Should pick other cities........

    I think they should be held in one of the cities that had bid for them: Belgrade, Budapest, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Madrid or Moscow. But I think all of these cities must be a bit angry with the FINA as they chose Dubai, which was probably the least prepared for the championships, and maybe some of them don't want to host them anymore - like a mini-boycott :P

  13. Brazil 2014 World Cup...

    in Other International Games / Bids

    Posted

    Sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?!

    Saturday, May. 29, 2010

    Brazil's World Cup: The Worrying Starts Early

    By Andrew Downie / São Paulo

    Consternation usually follows celebration when a country wins the right to host the World Cup. It is, after all, the most popular of sports championships and no one wants to be embarrassed throwing one of the biggest parties on the planet. It was Brazil's turn for anxiety after it won the rights to the 2014 Cup two and a half years ago. Critics were concerned about the country's ability to build or renovate 12 stadiums in time for the tournament and feared a repeat of the 2007 Rio Pan American Games, also hosted by Brazil, that were last-minute, hugely over-budget and left nary a legacy of improved living conditions for citizens.

    Those fears were at the forefront when proposals for the dozen stadiums took forever to get ready. In fact, though building was supposed to have started on all 12 this spring, they only won the approval of FIFA, the game's governing body, earlier this week. (See what becomes of Olympic stadiums.)

    FIFA has already been worrying out loud. Earlier this month, the organization's Secretary General Jerome Valcke noted that preparations were so far behind schedule that Brazil is considering reducing the number of host cities from 12 to 8. He lambasted Brazilian soccer bosses for ignoring the agreed deadlines — which the country's planners have refused to divulge — and said it ran the risk of having to build stadiums at the last minute. "I got a report on the status quo of the Brazilian stadiums. I have to say it is not very nice," Valcke told reporters. "It is amazing how Brazil is already late. The stadiums are the basic points we need to have a World Cup in Brazil; for the time being, most of the deadlines are already over and we have to work on new deadlines." Observers say it is surprisingly early for FIFA to be alarmed at the progress of a host country. (See how a blackout in Brazil raises more questions about the Olympics.)

    Brazil should have had a head-start. It was the only candidate to host the 2014 tournament and was a popular choice when selected in October 2007. The home of many of the game's greatest teams and most outstanding players, it hadn't been the site of the tournament since 1950 and many fans felt the South American giant deserved to host it again. But while Brazil has continued to produce star after star on the field — it is the only nation to win the World Cup five times — its skills at organization have seemed almost amateurish. Officials waited more than a year after winning the bid to choose the 12 host cities (at least five of which must be ready for the 2013 Confederations Cup). What's more, it has done little to address the basic infrastructure of airports, ports and highways, which clearly cannot support the expected influx of fans. "We are now seeing the consequences of not doing what we could have done," said Jose Roberto Bernasconi, president of an architecture and engineering organization that is closely monitoring Brazil's preparations. "Huge improvements are necessary."

    Bernasconi also said authorities have failed on the most basic transparency measures: refusing to publish details of the bid or a timeline for completion of the project's many parts. The government took two years just to draw up a responsibility paper outlining who is in charge of specific aspects of the enterprise. That document was eventually presented in January; it declared that the government would spend $7.4 billion on transport, infrastructure and oversight and that Brazilian states and municipalities in charge of hosting matches will spend $3.9 billion on stadiums and facilities.

    But in comments echoing those of Valcke, Bernasconi questioned whether anyone will be taken to task over the recurring delays. Of the 12 stadiums, nine will be publicly owned. Those projects will be eligible for low-interest loans of up to 400 million reais (around $215 million) either to build a new structure or remodel an existing one. But no one has applied for a loan yet. Skeptics say both the nine local governments and three privately owned clubs involved in the bid are deliberately holding off, hoping that the government will be forced to jump in at the last minute and give them the money, allowing them to avoid taking out a loan altogether. "They're waiting to see who'll blink first," said Bernasconi. "Everybody wants to go to the party but no one wants to pay for it."

  14. Toronto 2015

    in Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games

    Posted

    Not only is the location an issue, but what is included in the staduim will soon become an issue.

    Football teams (as in Canadian football, not what we Canadians call soccer!) do NOT like to play in stadiums that have a track around the playing surface, between the fans and the football players.

    That's why the suggestion to have track & Field at U of Toronto, in their new facilities, and build a football stadium (that can also be used for soccer, field hockey, rugby etc) in Hamilton is a good one. Then, the location can be more to the 'Cats liking.

    Mr Fenn is going to have a tough time finding common ground between the 'Cats and the city of Hamilton.

    I still think its retarded having track an hour away from the athletes village. I would have built a venue at York University instead.

    Hasn't the phrse "retarded" in this context, gone out of favour?

    Not only is the location an issue, but what is included in the staduim will soon become an issue.

    Football teams (as in Canadian football, not what we Canadians call soccer!) do NOT like to play in stadiums that have a track around the playing surface, between the fans and the football players.

    That's why the suggestion to have track & Field at U of Toronto, in their new facilities, and build a football stadium (that can also be used for soccer, field hockey, rugby etc) in Hamilton is a good one. Then, the location can be more to the 'Cats liking.

    Mr Fenn is going to have a tough time finding common ground between the 'Cats and the city of Hamilton.

  18. Qatar 2022

    in FIFA World Cup / Bids

    Posted

    Blatter is saying the same thing that Rogge says: "xyz is a fine city."

    That is usually taken as positive support, but it really is merely a response, and is BS. He has to say something, and to say "What a stupid idea!" doesn't get him any votes/support!

  19. Vancouver 2010 pins

    in Vancouver 2010 Winter Games

    Posted

    I collect pins too.

    When I see a pin on eBay, I always ask the seller what is on the back of the pin. The seller can certainly lie about what's on the back, so it's not a foolproof way of checking ligitimate pins.

    But, a serious collector will know, or be able to find out, who made a particular pin (especially for recent games). You should do this before you bid on any pin on eBay, or know who the ligit sellers are.

    There are so many ligit pin collectors around that a newbie can ask someone who knows, if a particular pin is a fake (read "Made in China" here).

    The lesson: ask someone who knows.

  21. hockey question

    in Vancouver 2010 Sports Discussions

    Posted

    hey there, I have tix to game 21, qualification playoff mens hockey at 19:00. I am wondering if anyone knows or if there is a way to find out who MIGHT be playing in this event? Is there a certain group that is slotted for this game or is it totaly by chance? Any help would be awesome!

    Dan

    No way! Gotta wait till some team loses a few games!

  23. A Tip For Taking Public Transit...

    in Tickets, Travel and Accomodation

    Posted

    I have the same situation for the 18th

    Curling (men's Canada-Sweeden) from 10h00 to 12h00

    and

    Speed Skating (women's 1000m) from 13h00 to 14h45

    Only one hour gap, but I'm pretty sure to make it since the venues are not to far from each other

    I think curling will take more than 2 hours. They are playing 10 ends, and that typically takes at least 3 hours, if the Scotties and Brier are taken as examples.

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