Sir Rols

And Oz is going for shorts on the Seine… Australia's uniform for Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony unveiled

New York bid for 2012. it‘s plan for a midtown stadium fell through during the bid though and basically destroyed any chance they had (and anyway, it was always a race mainly between Paris and London (who was considered the only one who might be able to beat the French favourite). I‘m with you and a lot (maybe most) non Americans here - we‘d love to see a New York games. Americans usually tell us that LA is the one with everything in place (and the US is allergic to sending public money on the games). And New Yorker members have said that most NYC residents don‘t feel Iike they need the Games to prove anything - we‘re the one and only Big Apple bitches!

Sigh… At the risk of sounding like a broken record, IF (and I still maintain it‘s an incredibly remote possibility) it were to happen, the ONLY possibility would be LA. It‘s about the only one that could provide the venues on call, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the only one who could supply an Olympic Village at short notice… that is unless Doha decided to refurbish some shipping containers again.

I can see the logic in an Alps opening and Nice closing. An opening in the mountains would certainly bestow the more “wintery“ aspect of the games that many here bemoaned Nice didn‘t convey, and possibly provide some grandiose backdrops depending where they chose. And, anyway, the Winter Pekings aren‘t as bound to stadiums and “tradition“ as the Summer ones have been - we‘ve seen them in ski jumping centres etc before. And then Nice would make a nice (there we go again, the Nice/nice dichotomy ) place for the Après-Ski, party vibe to close the games. Re: the naming/branding. True, I haven‘t seen anything official in the IOC references beyond “France“, but surely I would expect Nice to be used in there somewhere. Just as Milano-Cortina was dictated by needing to acknowledge both Lombardy and Veneto, surely the Nice municipality/city fathers will want some acknowledgement of their role - after all, they‘ll be hosting a huge bulk of the games, the ice events... indeed probably the biggest concentration of events in one location. I‘ve long thought Nice-Alpes Francaises had a nice ring to it.

Should be some some scope for the “Hot Bods“ thread ‘My hoo haa is gonna be out’: US Olympians slam Nike for skimpy women’s track kit

I like Marina Hyde, my favourite columnist on The Guardian. So cuttingly witty. Here she brings her gift to the Enhanced Games: On your marks, get set, dope! Welcome to the Enhanced Games – the sporting event no one wants

I would even say say the IOC isn’t prioritising legacy as much as they’re prioritising anything that they think doesn’t bring them bad publicity or shine them in a base light. Unfortunately, whatever they do around the Brisbane stadium issue they’ve painted themselves into a corner that’s generating negative blow back anyway.

An interesting, IOC-centric, view of the situation: The dispute over Brisbane's Olympic stadiums could have implications for the future of the Games

In before Baron… So, when are they going to hand the money over? Will they wait 10-12 ears until all the doping appeals are sorted out?

Now, this is an interesting take on that announcement” Gold medal for politics: why Olympic prize money is a smart move by Seb Coe The $50,000 is unlikely to change athletes’ motivation while Coe is a likely candidate for IOC president in 2025

I don’t really like the term, or the bragging, of “the best games ever”. It’s all so intangible, depends on luck and timing, is totally subjective, and also depends a lot on your age perspective and memory - I’ve read a lot of old accounts describing Rome 1960 as “the best Ames ever”. And it’s unfair to compare games over different time periods - is it really fair to compare Stockholm 1912 to Barcelona or Sydney? I think the best you can say is that a games was successful for its time.

I know they had to delay it from last year to this year - not sure why, I wasn’t that interested to follow it - but otherwise I guess it went off well - I didn’t read of any death tolls or coups happening during it.

What’s worked well here is when we’ve had a mix of public and private funding. We do it for major infrastructure like roadworks, motorways etc a lot. And as the McGeoch article I posted above pointed out, also for the Sydney games - the private sector payed a big part in that. I’m puzzled as to why Brisbane isn’t pursuing any private involvement at all - we certainly aren’t philosophical posed to it.

Which is why I’m so annoyed that the whole debate and financial plan for he games is based solely on public money. It seems a no-brainer to me - if there’s a good business case for a stadium, the private sector wouldn’t ned much convincing to get involved. And it’s not just sport. I was going to post this a while ago. A good article about how Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and co are really shaking up the economics of stadium venues: Universal appeal of Taylor Swift and other superstars threaten sport’s supremacy at Australian stadiums

C’mon Manu, put your swim trunks on and put the fears to rest… Olympic triathlon swimming leg could be cancelled over Seine water quality

The Feds are already bankrolling a huge chunk of the games - Brisbane Live and 50 per cent of the rest of the rest (minus stadium). I doubt they’d throw in to fund a new major stadium as wel, particularly in the current political climate. What bugs me is why the private sector is not being mentioned or courted, a la Sydney. Rod McGeoch stated a pretty good case: Brisbane 2032: Sydney Games guru slams lack of vision over venues, calls for private sector involvement The guru behind Sydney’s 2000 Olympics has taken aim at the lack of vision over Brisbane’s Games venue plans, pushing the politicians to partner with the private sector and take a “common sense” approach. Speaking on 4BC, the chief executive of Sydney’s successful bid, Rod McGeoch, said there was “no need to panic” – but also said key to Sydney’s success was the “leadership was strong enough to keep the whole matter impartial”. “The idea was that then the community would 100 per cent be behind it – and I still think you can do that [in Brisbane] with the right kind of leadership, and the right messaging,” he said. In reference to Premier Steven Miles’ decision to reject the findings of an independent review to build a new stadium at Victoria Park to serve the city in the coming decades – and instead upgrade the ageing Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre – Mr McGeoch said any plans needed to look long-term. “Why would anybody think that a 16-day sporting event should pay for a piece of sporting infrastructure that you’re going to have for 50 years,” he said. “We opened the Sydney Olympic Stadium in 1997 – 27 years later the thing looks basically new. “This visitor economy in Sydney last year was worth $47bn. So when somebody baulks at a stadium costing $2bn to $3bn … let’s think about the visitor economy in a much bigger way. “Perth has a 65,000-seat stadium, Adelaide 60,000, Melbourne 100,000, Sydney 85,000 – why would the city baulk at something where you might have 60,000 seats and instead start to think in terms of something that will hold 40,000.” Speaking on the 10-year runway Brisbane had been given in the lead up to hosting the 2032 Games – as opposed to Sydney’s seven – Mr McGeoch said there was “plenty of time”. “We had our Olympic stadium ready in 1997 – we started with a seven-year span and we built the thing in four years,” he said. “We built the Aquatic Centre on time, so I’m not at all concerned that Brisbane has got itself into a problem that it can’t solve.” But he also urged for more consideration to be given to partnering with private enterprise, instead of taxpayers footing the entire bill. “We got the Olympic Stadium for nothing (because of the private enterprise deal),” he said. “Next door is the 18,000-seat arena, built for private enterprise for nothing in exchange for a 30-year management agreement. “Over the road, the 10,000 (capacity) athletes’ Olympics village – built for nothing. “So in other words, you can do deals with private enterprise that they will put these things up at their cost, in return for management agreements or whatever else. “Doesn’t mean the government doesn’t own them – they’re built on government land. “We got all of those venues for nothing – now why can’t you do that again?” Courier-Mail

Never say never I guess, but IMO it looks unlikely. Both Miles and Crisafuli have both specifically ruled out a new stadium, and I’m not sure what will change their minds. The best chance is that after the State election in October (and after Crisafuli’s 100-day review if he wins) something might trigger a backtrack, but don’t know what. Maybe, if the athletes keep making comments during the Paris games coverage and interviews, that may help shift sentiment.

What’s the emoji for laughing and shaking your head at the same time? … I admit I’m pessimistic about the value, sustainability and future of the commies, but if they were going to try to keep it going, I’d be happy to see an African nation have a go, and it did occur to me that Ghana, having only just staged its All-Africa Games, might just be in a position to keep its facilities ready and step in quickly. And Abuja? Wouldn’t that be just soooo ironic Would almost make me want to check is a certain former was still on Twitter/X, and sharing his thoughts…

Abuja!

Whichever one dedicates him a new temple and sacrifices the most virgins* * that leaves Australia out

Zeus demands IOC voting reforms, decries “fake”, “stolen” elections OLYMPIA, April 8, 2024 (NTONN): Reclusive former leader of the Olympian Pantheon, Zeus, has intervened in the current divisive and controversial International Olympic Committee presidential election campaign, calling for major reforms to the IOC electoral process to prevent another “stolen” election. The exalted one delivered his demands, which call for all future IOC elections at his held under his direct supervision at his temple at Olympia, Greece, via his earthly representative, Greek IOC member, Spyros Capralos. Zeus: “I’m smarter than Bach and Coates combined”. Picture: NTONN “Those pissants haven’t held a fair election in years. Sleepy Tom (Bach) and Crooked Coates couldn’t win a fair election if the were running for mayor of he Olympic Village. They think they’re smart, but I could wipe my marble floors with their innards,” the All Father said a a campaign rally alongside Capralos. ”Look at that Brisbane ‘election’. That was as fake and stolen as Donald Trump’s tan. Brisbane won fairly? My shiny gold, ivory and electrum arse it did! My arse sh!ts on that so-called ‘fair’ election,” he thundered. The tabled Mighty Zeus IOC Electoral Form Act 2024 proposes that all future IOC Executive Board Meetings and elections be held at the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, under the aegis of the Merciful King of the Gods himself. All elections would be conducted by members casting their votes on pottery shards, or ostraki, which would then be carried in gilded vessels by the God’s priestess attendants to the Supreme Deity’s private quarters for his own complete and private scrutiny. Ostraki, or pottery shards, will be used to record IOC members’ votes ”I may require the sacrifice of a bull or two, or maybe even a virgin flame priestess, to interpret the results, but when I have ruled, you will know he results are just and fair,” the Wondrous One explained. ”In case of a tie, I will exhume Baron Pierre’s heart and read it for signs of the correct course.” Zeus said he would overrule any objections to his proposal by smiting “the craven traitorous arsehole with my divine lightning bolts”. ”If f**king Bach thinks he can usurp my throne with another term, he’ll learn the meaning of the term ostracism,” he decreed. Thomas Bach could not be contacted for comment. NotTheOlympicNewsNetwork

Great, a permanent location where the Sun Kings can be anointed by Zeus himself Capralos' dream: To hold the IOC presidential elections in Ancient Olympia Bach will probably back the idea as long as he can be made permanent president…

Okay @venuedesignlover, this has been updated, and a new question added to cover the latest looks. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if people who have voted before will be able to vote in the second question. Maybe if people have thoughts on the post-Rio looks, they can pos them. PyeongChang was the eye-opener for me doing the latest update. From their frankly uninspiring initial logo, they eventually came up with a look that was really quite attractive, colourful and thoughtful in it ntegraton of the Korean alphabet. Indeed, the logo itself as almost abandoned when it came to games-time branding… wisely Tokyo, I thought was flat. In some ways reminiscent of London, it just didn’t fly to me. I wonder if this was another hit it took in all the uncertainty leading up t it with covid (and its initial logo laggards faux pas). Paris we still have to see “live”, but I’m liking wat I’ve sen so far. IMO they haven’t put a foot wrong in their branding and design elements so far - inovative without being to in-your-face, and stylish. Really enthusiastic to see the finished product.

You’ve given me something to do. I’m right now putting together collages for Rio, Tokyo, Paris, PyeongChang and Beijing. I’ll update this once I’ve got them all done. Will probably have to add the newer ones as a second question. Thanks for inspiring me and reminding me of this. You’ve ben a welcome addition to the GamesBids crew

Clarification on that. I think the Games, and Brisbane in general, would be better off with either the Gabba or Victoria Park reinstated. No question. But if it was to be QSAC, then that would be quite serviceable - and would not detract all that much from how it’s presented on screen. They wouldn’t be making it easy on themselves with transport, but still manageable with proper planning.