donutman88

I've always been a fan on the Summer Olympics more but overall I think Sochi turned out well. The big problem I saw was that 1/2 of virtually every sporting match/venue (in the Coastal Cluster, can't tell about the Mountain Venues) were empty. I liked the look and loved the location. As an engineer this would be a dream to get a blank check and get to build a city from scratch just for the Olympics. (Not cost effective I know, but pretty cool) I have to say though that after about 3-4 days of action I got fairly bored of most of the sports, as I usually do at the Winter Olympics, so I can't say this is Sochi's fault. It's like watching the same thing over and over again for 2 weeks straight, no spacing out of the sports and disciplines. Overall though, a fun and certainly interesting Olympics. I doubt Russia will get the Olympics again until at least the 2040s, maybe 2050s, so I hope they enjoyed it.

If the US doesn't bid now they really are idiots. Yes, they might lose, but it certainly gives them the best shot in quite some time. If either France or South Africa doesn't bid, then the US really couldn't ask for anything more.

Then maybe Tahiti would win!

Exactly. As I posted like an hour ago, I'd even argue 6 or 7 is good enough.

Well here is what I've always wondered....why the heck does FIFA need so many stadiums for the World Cup, because in reality, they don't. In Brasil, they have double that in 12 stadiums, but why? It's true, people in those 12 cities "love" (I don't know what to say with the protests) to see soccer so close to their homes, but why 12 stadiums. Each one has like 3 to 5 matches total over the course of 2 to 3 weeks, when you could just as easily double that number to 6 to 8 matches over 2 to 3 weeks (14-21 days) with half the stadiums and so forth. This is really ridiculous in a place like Qatar where billions upon billions are being blown on 12 stadiums that post-cup will get very little use, all within very little distance of each other. Less stadiums equals less money and for goodness sake, in the case of Brasil, less travel for sure. That is why the venture turns into such an expensive one, and the reason I brought this up was because you guys are arguing over the distribution between joint nations.

Yea Baron has a point. One change throws the entire rest of the sequence off. As great as this sequence would be in my opinion, it's not going to happen, simply because things change.

I wouldn't say 90%, but a lot of people certainly do. Especially with all the internal bribery allegations that surfaced post selection. I agree, no definitive proof from FIFA itself. And as I said above, I wouldn't say 90% of people believe it was bribery, but a large number do. And again, no definitive proof from people like Garcia, but the internal and scandalous allegations that surfaced post selection do point to a good possibility of bribery. But who isn't to say that bribery hasn't been involved for a long time with FIFA, it just so happened that this time it was Qatar.

I like 3 of the bids, those being Krakow, Stockholm, and Oslo. But what disappoints me is that only one of these cities can win, and it isn't likely any of them would win again until 2030 or even bid again at all. I think Krakow will continue to bid to get the olympics, but judging by the skepticism that went into the Stockholm and Oslo bids, I worry if they lose they won't bid again, but I really want to see an olympics in Krakow sooner than later. I think 2026 will go to North America, 2030 back to a new frontier or maybe Europe, and then you are looking at 2030 or maybe even 2034. It would just be disappointing if these cities stop bidding, especially Stockholm/Oslo, if they don't win.

Is that www.krk22.pl a real web address? Because it isn't working for me....

Is this not similar what happened to Rome in its 2020 bid? I was reading on another forum how the IOC would never live it down if Oslo didn't bid after the deadline, but I'm pretty sure that already happened to Rome....

Well, I have a different meaning behind the word "boring." Believe me, any olympic games are fun, but I've always felt that the olympics should go somewhere new unless there really is no choice but to bring them back somewhere again. Oslo would provide a great games, I just always like to see them go somewhere new

Completely agree. I don't know what it is, there is just something about Krakow that makes me want to see the WOG there. The only other one I wouldn't mind seeing would be Stockholm, but they still haven't officially bid yet. Beijing is polluted, Lviv is just plain weird, Oslo is kind of boring to go back there again, and Almaty interests me, but I just don't think Kazakhstan is quite the right place to have the olympics just yet.

It certainly sounds like it. They didn't come out with the "yes we will" statement but the mere fact that they are to decide on Tuesday, 2 days after the Munich vote, makes it sound like they were definitely waiting on the Munich result. Now that Munich said no, I'm pretty sure Sweden stands a pretty good chance of saying yes

At least Stockholm will likely join now...I've always been a fan of them over Oslo and the others

I certainly hope Stockholm bids. I love watching bid races with tons of cities, and this one certainly has that written all over it. 7 cities bidding for one winter olympics? Much more entertaining than 2020. If Munich doesn't bid, and Stockholm does, I would tend to think Stockholm would be the favorite over Oslo.

Although I agree they won't win....I think its interesting they are deciding to bid. Although I will say, should Munich not pass its referendum, they may have the slightest, and I mean slightest chance of pulling it off.

I don't think there is any doubt they would lose, but does anybody think Harbin/Beijing will bid for 2022, or at least use it as a test run for bidding for 2026 or 2030? I think they would stand a good shot at getting shortlisted because the Chinese would be willing to spend any amount on infrastructure. I'm not saying there is any chance they would win, but they haven't come out saying they are delaying the bid as a result of Tokyo/Pyeongchang winning. Also, does anyone else think the Krakow/Slovakia bid stands a really good chance at winning. The facilities are in place or are currently being built, and I think a new place for the WOGs makes for a very attractive bid, to at least change up the countries that hold the games all the time. (i.e. Norway). I think Oslo, Munich, and Krakow are going to be involved in a tight race with 2 other cities shortlisted between Lviv and Almaty.

I think the only other place in Africa that could have been an "attractive" host would've been Nairobi, Kenya....but after the whole mall attack today and the consistent terror threat over the past few years...I think its safe to say South Africa is about the only country that can host an Olympics in Africa right now.

Right....I know it never would've happened. I just thought it'd be an interesting idea and probably "the best" chance (or I guess you could say excuse) at having them in the Southern Hemisphere for a long time to come, but yes exactly nobody is prepared to host them. I'm one of those people who always likes to see the olympics go to new places, if they'd likely be successful and no major issues are currently present. (Hence why I didn't support Istanbul b/c of Syria, and especially after the doping drama). I agree that it's madness with the World Cup and the same would happen if you moved the Olympics/Paralympics and the viewership might go down, but I was just thinking about that today with the IOC coming out and saying they want nothing to do with moving the World Cup. I do hope at some point the IOC moves beyond the typical countries that host the Winter Games, because time and time again its the same exact countries, where at least during the summer games you get a fair variety of hosts. Still though, I think if anybody is prepared to host, it'd be say Melbourne or far into the future Santiago and/or Auckland, but yes, I think it will be a long time until that happens.

Now I know there is no way it'd happen, but it seems to me the 2022 games would've been the perfect opportunity for the Winter Olympics to move to the Southern Hemisphere. The World Cup could be moved to February, and the Olympics to June and July....a little ol' switcheroo actually would've made for an attractive option to move the winter olympics to a new place and to safely and successfully have the World Cup in Qatar....but it's too late for New Zealand or say Australia to put together a bid...had FIFA discussed moving the World Cup say 3 years ago, right after or before Qatar won the bid, I think you could've seen an Olympics in the Southern Hemisphere....