thatsnotmypuppy

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am baffled. Seriously - the most appropriate and clever logo (but yes - also a bit obvious) we have seen in years goes down to a blobby, over-complicated fluoro 80's nightmare... Taste is subjective however. But yay for WooHoo.

Hmm. This is a such a mess. I have to believe it will still be headed to Brum. There just isn't any really interested viable option. Unless the CGF start directly asking the national federations to step in it will have to go to the UK.

I think after Incheon had their underwhelming Games the Koreans are a bit... hesitant.

So the Ashgabat Games are done and still no announcement of the 2021 Asian Winter Games host... Maybe Beijing passed as they need more time for the rapid train and speed skating oval? I don't recall a confirmed bid from Shenyang... Maybe back to Sapporo??

So to summarise Birmingham is the only candidate at this point? KL seems to not have really stepped up and Australia is a non-starter?

If Innsbruck passes when they are pretty much (minus a village) ready to go it shows the Winter format is truly dead and needs a massive rejig. Either that or we will be seeing a lot of Lillehammer (not that that is a bad thing)...

Why hasn't A won in a landslide yet? These comps are out of control.

A 2026 bid is probably unlikely to proceed at this time - I get putting the feelers out - however I am sure the IOC is desperate to get one of the traditional European winter powers to host. Then again if it comes to a 2022 type situation...

I think it was the SLC medals that were rated the best by the Aussie winter athletes - they liked how solid and heavy they were. The PC ones look similar size wise.

You really only have four feasible options as of right now. None will be hosting anytime soon. Cairo. You have the International Stadium, the Covered Hall, a huge conference centre etc. Sadly you also have an unstable system of Government, domestic terrorism and a city that could not handle the Games time infrastructure needs. Morocco - the country has had a bit of a stadium building boom - however the subsidiary venues are lacking. The country is also not financially in a position to host a Games. Any concept would need to be spread among the four major cities - which while not that far apart is far from ideal. Abuja - they have the stadium. They have an arena, they have a velodrome. They have a swimming centre. They nearly had a Commonwealth Games. Domestic terrorism, lack of funding and a general 'WTF is an Abuja?' global attitude along with negative opinions of Nigerian human rights will keep the Games away. Durban. Oh Cape Town will be nice but Durban has the stadium and subsidiary venues almost in place. Lack of political will, organisational knowledge and little public support will take a long time to get over. Plus the IOC will not give the Games to a city that couldn't properly get the basic Commonwealth Games organising structure in place - let alone the funding. Anywhere else is a joke at this point. Thus we may see a bid soon-ish - however I doubt there is any real push to head to Africa.

They are actually really nice - no crystal fuckery - just straight forward medals.

Too many to mention - however if you asked me for a few images from Olympic ceremonies that just pop straight in my mind I have some to share - all quite recent. Athens 2004 Opening - there are really two moments. The formation of the DNA strand was magnificent. The whole ceremony up to this point was stellar - but this brought a real wow moment. The other moment was at the first start - the drummer in the stadium playing along with the pre-recorded(?) drummer at Olympia. Simple. Iconic. When the stadium drummer jumps into the central pool and the stadium explodes with cheers and camera flashes indicated we were in for something very human and real. London 2012 Opening - Pandemonium. The moment of reflective silence for those lost in the wars followed by the frankly jaw-dropping smelting and formation of the rings. Truly a moment that just floored me and silenced the stadium. When those rings lit up and flew along their tracks over the field and the pyrotechnics kicked in - I was in tears. Pure, pure theatre. It was easy to overlook the less entertaining latter sections after that. The other highlight - Emeli Sande's 'Abide With Me'. A study in how to make an enormous stadium feel intimate and almost airless... claustrophobic... It was a moment that had a real power behind it and it demanded your silence and attention. Akram Khan's choreography was equal parts complex and simple - but entirely thrilling and impossible to look away from. Classily done and a truly moving and appropriate tribute to the 7/7 victims. There were other great moments in other ceremonies - but those are the ones that stand out and come to mind immediately.

https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/spectator-guide/olympic-plaza There will be a seperate 'Medals Plaza' outside the ceremony stadium.

I know we all love the idea of a Singapore CGs but there is just very little interest in hosting them. Smaller level Games (SEA Games, YOGs) appeal as the investment is minimal.