yoshi

It’s a great looking ground, fair play. Better than ours (but then, you are 10 years after, spent nearly £1b on it, & needed to build it to NFL levels, so it should be). Particularly love that south end, the uniform unbroken tiers are the big problem with Emirates (& Wembley) when it comes to getting some noise up. Congrats on that amazing game last night too - North London Derby for the Super Cup?

I think that’s what we’re planning? Going in with Scotland, Wales & NI (& possibly ROI as well). I agree that seems like a better idea than all English, especially as the tournament is being expanded.

Strange how the IOC has gone from a vote they couldn’t pick right whatever they did, to a vote they can’t get wrong whatever they do. I bet they wish Milan had found all this support 4 years earlier.

The binational aspect of Stockholm is being overlooked in coverage of this. I think it’s the most important aspect of the bid - if it works, it’s a total game-changer for countries without bobsled tracks, high ski runs etc.

Better than Baku & Minsk Seriously though, hopefully these Games (that’s what they are) continue to thrive & find themselves - it’s a very worthy experiment, both in having a Games of Europe & as a blank canvas to try new things. I hope we get some of the mid-sized cities/countries going for it too (Lisbon, Dublin, Prague etc). I understand why they’re starting with ex-Olympic cities (they’re right) but unless the Olympics gets small enough for them, this is the top multi-sport event they can have.

Ooh. Must say, I’m pleasantly surprised - especially if it’s passed without much criticism in Sweden. We very definitely have a race on now

Over the last two days, we have gone into full Armando Ianucci mode. 3 main things have occurred: 1 - The House of Commons had a vote on whether or not to have a vote...& it was a draw. Apparently the first proper tie since 1980. 2 - Parliament is in the process of passing a bill to make no-deal illegal...despite it not really being our decision at this point because any country could veto the A50 extension at the EU summit on Wednesday. And 3...even the Palace of Westminster itself is getting fed up with the whole thing & sprung a leak in the Commons, forcing the adjournment of proceedings for the day, which in practice means until Monday: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/04/house-of-commons-suspended-water-pours-through-ceiling Another normal few hours in Westminster

I think Stockholm will quietly withdraw between now & the 12th. It could work out that they get to avoid losing the 2026 vote, watch Milan & whoever gets 2030 hopefully bring the Winter Olympics back to a sensible budget (especially if Milan really can pull it off 1984-style) & then come back with real support for 2034. Olympic bidding is largely about picking your battles & I do fear for Stockholm’s result & reaction if they go up with no guarantees against a fully-backed Milan.

Forgot to post this at the time but also yesterday (day before now, really) in Parliament: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/01/semi-naked-climate-protesters-disrupt-brexit-debate It’s coming to something when a woman naked - save for an elephant trunk - supergluing herself to the glass of the public gallery is one of the more logical things to occur in the House this week Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever watched BBC Parliament so much

Not to mention that if you go to Stockholm without any guarantees (if they don’t grant them before the decision) you’re just begging for Denver Mk. 2 when the government do actually have to commit. It really is all about whether Sweden will give the guarantees before decision day.

If they provide the guarantees, agreed. But the next few days are critical for that - either the Swedes respond by giving their bid the guarantees - in which case they become favourites again - or they don’t, in which case it’s just too risky. The IOC won’t be too displeased by Milan - it’s still Europe, which is what really matters, & it’s still dual-centred, so demonstrates the new model. Even Milan’s biggest negative - Salvini - could be useful if they can show the Olympics & European populism can coexist, in case that trend continues.

Oh, no doubt there - Adelaide will host a great games, all you mention plus the Adelaide Oval is crying out for a CG track (like I say, it should’ve been them before GC), & of course having no host is worse. It’s just a great shame that only our countries seem interested anymore. You can probably put Perth 2034 down now. Even though the real new frontier type countries have probably been terrified by Delhi then Durban, even 2026 in Canada or NZ would be something different. With what’s happened there lately, Christchurch 2026 would be a particularly good story & target for the city. Not sure why it doesn’t appear to have even been considered by them

Meh...like the idea of Adelaide hosting (should have been their turn instead of GC) but I just get the feeling that unless Hamilton really can somehow come through for 2030 they might as well formalise the UK-Oz alternation & have done with it. Oh for a NZ, South Africa, Singapore etc just for something different - this’d mean only 1 of the last 7 Games was outside UK/Oz.

I strongly suspect Stockholm will withdraw very soon then - that’s the best way for them to save face & regroup for 2030 rather than suffer losing the vote & further entrench Swedish anti-IOC feeling.

I was half-tempted to make an attempt at explaining what went on in Westminster today... ...but I just think this video explains everything far better than I ever could. Listen to what Krishnan (the reporter) says & imagine that x~600, & that’s the level of mess we’re at (This is a more serious summary: Brexit: No majority for any options after MPs' votes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47728333 )