Ikarus360

Looks like Qatar has been gearing up all these years in order to become a competent team, now (thanks to their Aspire Academy). They've done what was unthinkable until today by winning the Asian Cup against Japan, the team who almost beat Belgium last year, and in the soil of a country which hates them to death at this moment. Maybe they could make a decent performance in 2022 after all. The only goal they ever conceded during the whole cup was by Japan and in the final. A folrmer FC Barcelona member is their current coach right now. http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/qatar-clinch-historic-title

After 4 months of political deadlock, the swedish parliament brought back Lofven as Prime Minister. It seems no one wanted to team up with the far right SD party, so the government will remain in the hands of the same people, as well for a coallition of other parties. Long story short, the people who said No to this bid in the past will still be around. Definitely bad news for Stockholm-Are bid. https://www.thelocal.se/20190118/stefan-lofven-voted-back-in-as-swedish-prime-minister https://europeelects.eu/european-union/sweden/

All of those were up due to the proximity of the Pyeongchang olympics. I guess they will only be available again the months before Tokyo 2020 begins.

This, tbh. Sweden winter sport culture, while existent, is not even that good compared to its neighbor Norway or countries like Canada. On the other hand, the Italian bid does has government support and I don't think even all the hatred toward Salvini and his new xenophobic government will stop them.

Deadline for government support already expired, but the IOC keeps extending it on vain hopes they would change their minds, while the only person whose mind is still stuck in the clouds and refuses to see the reality is Lindberg. You can say all you want about having a winter sport culture, the best resources and yadda yadda (and we all know the IOC has wanted to have the games again in Scandinavia for years). But at the end of the day, if the citizens AND the government keep saying no, this is all just the chronicle of a death foretold. Maybe if the IOC decides to make honest and deep change instead of all the cosmetic crap they've done lately AND agree to partially pay for their games, the situation could change. But we all know Bach and his friends are way too greedy and corrupt to expect any change from them.

This is the area where the opening ceremonies were held almost one year, today. Kind of sad to see all the structure gone but better doing that than having a white elephant. As promised, they've turned it onto a memorial park.

I wish the IOC good luck forcing a city (and a country) which has repeatedly made clear they don't want the games to host them, then.

Did we just got a sneak peak of 2019's version of "World in Union"?

For having the second largest population in the world, India is probably one of the worst countries when it comes to sports, to be honest. In a normal situation I think this plus their terrible organization of the 2010 CWG would hurt badly any bid they want to do. But given the current state of unpopularity the olympics are going through, like the saying goes "beggars can't be choosers".

Roflmao, i think Bach is starting to lose his grip on reality. After the mess which was Buenos Aires opening, how about no, thanks?

Thomas Bach: "We're totally fine, the olympics are having their best time ever" Also, Bach:

I think colors are also a reference to the Dala horse Overall more proffessional looking than Milan/Cortina's logo, which kind of looks all over the place and hastily done. Its a shame the bid with the best logo is also the one with the less guarantees so far. Let's hope the swedish government makes up their minds already.

Meaning of the logo

Here's hoping Calgary resignation becomes a big earthquake inside the IOC and finally forces them to change. Sadly, i'm aware the IOC will only come to their senses when no single city is left to bid. As long as they have one, even if its a backwaters town in the middle of nowhere under a tyrannical dictatorship, they won't give a damn. I hope I could say Bach is the main issue here and that he has to go. The problem is someone as bad or worse will probably replace him. The IOC is in FIFA-tier level of corruption. It is time to fix this mess of an event as soon as possible or it will dissapear for good, at least in the way we know it, in just a few years.