thatsnotmypuppy

Two factors - the IOC's apparently non-negotible hosting window and the AOC's refusal to back a Melbourne bid., The first is due to TV rights, the second is due to the head of the AOC being a bit of a dick and Melbourne has a relatively mild - yet wet - winter. July/August has fog, rain. sometimes snow on the higher hills and day time temperatures rarely above 18 degrees celcius. Never mind that the vast majority of sports are indoors and long distance athletes have repeatedly stated they'd rather run a marathon in cooler weather... So that is it. Climate, John Coates and NBC basically.

We are here - however the 'No' is tempered with 'maybe'. There is a general lack of belief that this will come off - that it is still just politicians having a wank. We'll see.

I hear this a lot and frankly major changes need to be made. The Commonwealth Games should maybe fully integrate 'Paralympic' sports on an equal footing (same amount of able bodied and non-able bodied athletes), perhaps take a leaf out of the Asian Winter Games book and invite a couple of sporting superpowers to the party and finally look at the sporting programme and scale back those sports that already have sufficient international championships/exposure.

And yet they were able to do that in 2000. It is not impossible - just undesirable. The Australian time zone (and Tokyo/Beijing etc) is poison for NBC anyway. There are further world championships/golden league/grand prix after the Olympics in Olympic years so the federations could make it work - the question is really why should they. Melbourne could host the same dates Sydney did - yes there is a higher chance of rain but mid September is cool - yet mild. The IOC however have said no.

The locals didn't get behind the 2004 bid. I doubt there is much appetite for an Olympics there now either.

Basically you have a federal and a state Government desperate to be able to say they have made a big move and brought something "good" to Australia. Our self esteem as a nation is really tied up with punching above our weight and being seen as a big player in the world. Of course we are not - but we do a few things well - hosting events is one of them. The Government is playing a dangerous game though - there is a huge amount of people who don't want their tax dollars spent this way. The whole Sydney stadium fuckery as well as the underwhelming 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have negated a lot of enthusiasm for huge sporting events. In my day to day dealings with people I am yet to hear anyone say they back a SEQ bid - if anything it is met with a roll of the eyes. I am sure if we get them the story will change to slight ezxcitement (until the ticket prices are announced and no-one gets decent seats to anything) - but for now we have an economy that is not very strong, massive amounts of personal and national debt - and a city bidding that has a lot of locals scratching their heads. Yes yes - we know the IOC's window for hosting the Games is pretty much set in stone, however the average man on the street looks at Brisbane and then looks at Melbourne and wonders why we are spending money up North when they are basically ready down South. There is no need for another major stadium in Brisbane. There will need to be billions spent on basic infrastructure. I live in Brisbane and dread the mess a Games will bring - and I love the Olympics. Australia in 2019 is not the Australia that got behind the Sydney bid in 1991-1993. However - as always - our politicians refuse to read the room and barge in head first.

Isn't there serious talk of Belarus rejoining Russia anyway? There was a story not long ago that Putin can be President again if it happens... I'm not sure how much of it is fantasy though. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/01/29/a-brotherly-takeover-could-russia-annex-belarus-op-ed-a64326

www.reddit.com/r/olympics/

Gosh - I wish they double awarded 2026/30 now lol. Anyhow. So let's start #SLC30 right here and now.

But a precedent has now been set so there is always going to be the question when it comes to a head to head between two formidable potential hosts the IOC has provided themselves with a diplomatic way of getting out of any criticism. Will it happen again? Highly unlikely. Could it happen? Yes. Am I enjoying your passionate ranting? Possibly...

It's not "very likely" - however unless a competitive, locally supported bid from a proper Winter sports power (Norway etc) it may do the IOC good to just secure two solid hosts that will deliver events with the appropriate scale to perhaps entice the bigger players to bid again. Milan will help - but SLC and Sapporo - who both have the majority of what they need in place and more importantly are using the existing infrastructure - will help the IOC further down the line. Thus I wouldn't expect it - but wouldn't rule it out.

All of the major venues should be within a 100km radius of Brisbane city - which is kind of OK I guess. The goal is to utilise and upgrade as many existing venues as possible - however there will still be a lot of construction going on.

I think most European potential bidders will read the room and realise that SLC is a likely lock with Sapporo probably for 2034. The Japanese made such a song and dance about not bidding for 2026 because the shinkansen would not be ready (like that will be the main transport link required FFS) and with the completion now delayed until 2031 at the earliest I doubt they'll put their hand up for 2030.

Toowoomba will be used as well as the Sunshine Coast. Preliminary plans have the northern cities hosting football and there was talk of volleyball/basketball early rounds being staged outside of SEQ.

But but but... ALMATY!!! I hear you though.