TorchbearerSydney

Absolutely- but he and fellow right wing nutjob Pauline Hanson are very loud. There is a state election on Queensland later this year..., so the attitude of the opposition maybe critical to the bid (should they win). I think they are on board, but I suspect they may change their mind in a desperate attempt to win votes.

I thought Japan would win easily- with its venues and WC Performances....But Australia and NZ and basically COVID free- that could be an attraction, with preparations able to start straight away on all fronts and Japan to host an Olympics next year.

Cant see cricket getting into the Games- it is played in so few countries, the West Indies would need to be split up, the GB team is Éngland' etc... Coates seems to be a particularly nasty and vindictive character- and very ambitious. I cant see him being able to charm the IOC to take the Presidency.

Australia is a safe pick in these times..and sadly epidemiologists are predicting global pandemics more regularly in the future... Australia is spending (ie wasting) $100 billion plus on new submarines, and $100 billion plus on new strike fighters at the moment. So I never wont to here that we cant afford 3-5 billion for the Olympics!

IF Tokyo is cancelled (hope not of course), I find it sad that 2028 has already been awarded...they could have offered Tokyo 2028, and LA the anniversary Games in 2032....I think they are starting to award the Games a bit early, who knows what the world, or any country will be like in 12 years time!

Yes it was super cheap- how much do you think a 115,000 seat stadium should cost? How much did the Athens, Beijing and London stadiums cost? When the AUD plunged below AUD50cents, and the USD denominated TV rights and sponsor money came in, the Olympics cost very little. You are comparing Sydney to the other 2 cities I noted were super cheap, ignoring the fact that the Sydney Games cost less than 1 percent of state GDP.

Economic analysis has shown LA/Atlanta and Sydney (per event) were super cheap..(I will look for the link)...Sydney's stadium was only USD300million, incredibly cheap for a 115,000 stadium. The Sydney stadium was downsized to 80,000, the pool to 3,000 as planned, and there were temporary stands for everything else. from rowing, to archery, hockey etc... Sydney Games cost less than 1percent of state GDP over 7 years...and left no debt.

But the Paralympians wont then be there for the opening, and the Olympians not there for the Closing.....but the world has changed I suppose...and each group of athletes get one ceremony each!

I do find it weird though that mega cities, like Paris, dont have a world class aquatic centre or velodrome....or a sports mad city like Brisbane not having a decent 60,000 seat stadium. An advanced city should have a these facilities..Ok I agree white water stadiums and bobsled tracks are a bit niche! Sydney was done on the super cheap, no heroic architecture....(and Sydney needed a decent stadium, indoor venue and pool anyway)...but on TV you could never tell.

Moving Birmingham to 2026..and Hamilton 2030 sounds very sensible....it gives everyone some breathing space to get over this current mess, avoid clashes with other sports etc...and helps save face for the CGF too....

The US Govt is spending over $2,000,000,000,000 (thats 2 trillion) in stimulus spending. Other countries (by proportion) even more. A Winter Olympics at a couple of billion is a cheap and effective economic stimulus for a region. (Just another way to frame the cost as an opportunity)

The flame was lit in 2020...so the ''Olympic Spirit'' was summoned in 2020! (Good as any explanation!) They could light the peace flame in Hiroshima for a year ... that would be very symbolic....

Would be nice to keep it burning in Japan, before it resumes in a years time....symbolically the Olympic fire has arrived in the host country and is still alive...just on pause. It is in Sendai near Fukajima I think?

Understandable- but sad...we could all do with some cheering up, stuck at home....:(

Lithuania surely will win this year- there is really no other stand out. Last year was an amazing year- Netherlands, Italy, Australia , Iceland, Norway..so many memorable songs/ performances.