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As part of a project I had to do recently, I looked into the summer olympic games and had to identify areas where it could be improved and made easier to host. I ended up compiling these findings into a full report (even though I didn't have to - I know, I get obsessed) which I thought would be worth sharing to see if there's any agreement. Please find the whole text below. Any comments welcome. It doesn't really matter, this isn't official, just interested to see if anyone agrees and if all that work I did was worth anything. PROPOSALS FOR THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES Contents Section 1 – Aims of this report 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Mission Statement Section 2 – The Recommendations 2.1 Core Sports 2.2 Grouped Recommendations 2.2.1 Team Sports 2.2.2 Combat Sports 2.3 Individual Recommendations 2.3.1 Badminton 2.3.2 Baseball/Softball 2.3.3 Basketball 2.3.4 Boxing 2.3.5 Diving 2.3.6 Equestrian 2.3.7 Fencing 2.3.8 Field Hockey 2.3.9 Football 2.3.10 Golf 2.3.11 Handball 2.3.12 Modern Pentathlon 2.3.13 Rowing 2.3.14 Rugby Sevens 2.3.15 Sailing 2.3.16 Shooting 2.3.17 Synchronised Swimming 2.3.18 Table Tennis 2.3.19 Tennis 2.3.20 Volleyball (Beach) 2.3.21 Volleyball (Indoor) 2.3.22 Water Polo 2.4 Football and Rugby Sevens Recommendations 2.4.1 Football 2.4.2 Rugby Sevens Section 3 - Outcomes and effects of the recommendations of this report being enacted. Section 4 - Proposal for a permanent, single-use venue 4.1 Proposal 4.2 Facilities and logistical considerations 4.2.1 Facilities 4.2.2 Logistical considerations 4.3 Benefits 1 Aims of this report 1.1 Introduction This is the result of an independent report into the staging, financial feasibility and quality of competition in the Summer Olympic Games. In times of financial hardship, it is important for the IOC to recognise the hardship and troubles that potential host cities would face in hosting the games and that motions can be put in place to help ease this. Furthermore, this report also takes into consideration the global popularity of sports that are part of the Olympic program and whether these levels merit a place in the games. This report was conducted in strictest neutrality, observing the structure of Olympic competitions, taking into consideration the number of competing athletes and countries in every Olympic event and recommendations are made based on inconsistencies, 1.2 Mission statement The overall aim of this report is to: - Take into consideration the current global financial difficulties that would effect the staging of the Olympic Games. - To find ways the Olympic Games can be made easier to stage, both financially and logistically, by: - Identify extraneous parts of the Olympic program. - Identify Olympic events where the number of athletes can be reduced due to either low standard of competition, an overlong Olympic competition or low international participation. - Restructuring existing events to allow for more concise planning of the events and use of host venues. - Identify places where greater geographical participation can be achieved. - Propose new methods of organisation to allow better use of host cities’ infrastructure. - To seek out ways to continue the relevance and importance of the Olympic Games. - To seek out ways to make the Olympic Games more competitive. 2 The Recommendations 2.1 Core Sports Seven sports have been identified as being an integral, or ‘core’, part of the Olympic Games and should remain a part of the program. These are: Athletics, Archery, Combat Sports, Cycling, Gymnastics, Swimming, and Weightlifting. 2.2 Grouped Recommendations – General recommendations for multiple sports 2.2.1 Team Sports (Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Handball, Rugby Sevens, Volleyball and Water Polo) - Reduction of teams to eight in each sport. - No longer allow qualification spot to world champions - the Olympic Games and the respective World Championships will all be entirely separate competitions. 2.2.2 Combat Sports (Judo, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Karate) - Combat sports to be lumped into a single category, with the events in question to be chosen on a games-by-games basis. Combat sports will be held in a single venue and must accommodate one another. 2.3 Individual Sports Recommendations Please Note: Where a sport is missing, it is in the opinion of this report that no action needs to be taken. 2.3.1 Badminton - Reduce total number of competitors by 17 to 155. - Qualifying pool to allow for wider international participation. 2.3.2 Baseball/Softball - Make an optional sport, host nations can choose whether to include them in their bid plans. 2.3.3 Basketball - In the men’s event, teams will be limited to two NBA players. In the women’s event, teams will be limited to two players under contract to the WNBA. This will be to allow for a more competitive tournament. - Teams must qualify via a qualifying tournament. 2.3.4 Boxing - Reduce number of competitors from 286 to 226. 2.3.5 Diving - Reduce number of competitors by 18 to 117 2.3.6 Equestrian - Reduce number of competitors by 71. 2.3.7 Fencing - Reduce number of competitors by 21 to 191. 2.3.8 Field Hockey - Qualification for the men’s event will be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 2 Europe, 1 Oceania, 1 Americas, 1 Asia, 1 Africa and 1 Qualifier - Qualification for the women’s event will be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 1 Asia, 1 Europe, 1 Americas, 1 Oceania, 1 Africa and 2 Qualifiers. 2.3.9 Football - See section 2.4.1 for full Football recommendations. 2.3.10 Golf - Removal from the Olympic program due to an already over-active professional calendar. 2.3.11 Handball - Restructuring of Olympic tournament to either an eight-team league followed by medal matches or eight-team group stage followed by knockout round. - Qualification for both events be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 2 Europe, 1 Asia, 1 Africa, 1 Americas and 2 Qualifiers. 2.3.12 Modern Pentathlon - Removal from the Olympic program due to low geographical reach 2.3.13 Rowing - Removal of four and eight-team events from the Olympic program due to low geographical reach and low participation. 2.3.14 Rugby Sevens - See section 2.4.2 for full Rugby Sevens recommendations. 2.3.15 Sailing - Removal from the Olympic program due to low international participation and to avoid the possible logistical problem of host being unable to provide a suitable location. 2.3.16 Shooting - Removal from the Olympic program due to low geographical reach. 2.3.17 Synchronized Swimming - Removal from the Olympic program due to low participation. 2.3.18 Table Tennis - Qualifying pool to allow for wider international participation. 2.3.19 Tennis - Removal from the Olympic program due to an already over-active professional calendar. 2.3.20 Volleyball (Beach) - Restructuring of both men’s and women’s Olympic competitions to either a 16-team knockout tournament or a 16-team group stage followed by knockout round. 2.3.21 Volleyball (Indoor) - Restructuring of Olympic tournament to either an eight-team league followed by medal matches or eight-team group stage followed by knockout round. - Qualification for the men’s event to be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 2 Europe, 2 Americas, 1 Asia, 1 Africa and 1 Qualifier - Qualification for the women’s event to be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 2 Europe, 2 Asia, 1 Americas, 1 Africa and 1 Qualifier 2.3.22 Water Polo - Qualification for both events to be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 2 Europe, 2 from an integrated Asia & Oceania tournament, 1 Americas, 1 Africa and 1 Qualifier. - Oceania teams can no longer qualify by decision. - Should no African team be deemed eligible for competition, their spot will be converted into another qualifier berth. 2.4 Football and Rugby Sevens recommendations 2.4.1 Football EITHER - Removal from the Olympic program due to an already over-active professional calendar. OR - Competing teams will be the best non-qualifiers of respective continental championships (in the case of South America, the best team not to reach the knockout stage). This will give the Olympic football tournament a long-needed USP. - Qualification for both events to be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 1 Europe, 1 South America, 1 North America, 1 Oceania, 1 Asia, 1 Africa and 1 Qualifier. Qualified teams must be full IOC members. - The women’s event to be age-restricted to encourage the growth of the sport from the youth level. - The reduction to eight teams per event will mean a smaller number of competition venues and training facilities will needed to be provided. Hosts can choose to stage the football event in as little as two FIFA-approved stadiums, or more should they feel they can provide more. 2.4.2 Rugby Sevens OPTION 1 - Competing teams in the men’s event will be the best non-qualifiers for the edition of the Hong Kong Sevens previous to the Olympic Games. Teams will qualify from continental championships and will be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 1 Europe, 1 Oceania, 1 Africa, 1 Americas, 1 Asia, the winner of a Europe-Oceania play-off, and 1 Qualifier. Competing teams in the women’s event may not be a core team of the edition of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series of the year previous to the Olympic Games. Teams will qualify from continental championships and be allocated to: Host Nation (subject to approval), 1 Europe, 1 Oceania, 1 Africa, 1 Americas, 1 Asia and 2 Qualifiers. Should no African team be deemed eligible for competition, their spot will be converted into another qualifying berth. This will be in order to separate the Sevens World Series from the Olympic tournament and to encourage the growth of the game in countries where the sport is less popular. OPTION 2 - Removal from the Olympic program due to low geographical reach. OPTION 3 - Take no action. 3 Outcomes and effects of the recommendations of this report being enacted Outcome Effect Total number of participants reduced by approximately 2,270 - Greater financial ease - More competitive events - Host cities will need to provide less housing for athletes More competitive events - Help maintain the significance of the Olympic Games Inclusion of sports high in popularity at the time of the games and removal of sports that are not Greater geographical participation - Encourage growth of sports outside of strategic areas where it is particularly popular or dominant Football recommendations and Rugby Sevens option 1 - Create USP for the Olympic Games tournaments; separate from other mainstream competitions. Fewer venues required - Greater financial ease - Make best use of venues; allow multiple events staged in same venue - Reduce travel for athletes, officials and spectators Fewer events and competitors making the summer games easier to stage - More locations putting themselves forward as candidates to host the Olympic Games. 4 Proposal for a permanent, single-use venue 4.1 Proposal To create a permanent venue (location TBC) for the Olympic Games, with facilities for all 32 sports currently on the Olympic program, allowing room for more to be added in future. Each NOC will pay a nominal fee for the construction and maintenance of these facilities, the amount flexible depending on each NOC’s annual income. In return they will be granted participation in the Olympic Games. No longer a rotation of host cities, the Games will be forever staged in this single-use venue. 4.2 Facilities and logistical considerations 4.2.1 Facilities - Aquatics and Diving stadium, could also incorporate surfing facility - Archery Park - Athletics stadium (could be shared with Rugby) - Indoor arenas for Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Combat Sports, Fencing, Gymnastics, Handball, Sport Climbing, Table Tennis, Indoor Volleyball Water Polo and Weightlifting. - Baseball and Softball park - Beach volleyball stadium - Canoe slalom course - Velodrome - Suitable mountain biking course - BMX track - Equestrian park with full equine facilities - Field Hockey stadium - Minimum 2x Football stadia (could share with Rugby) - Golf course - Modern Pentathlon course - Rowing and Canoe sprint course - Rugby stadium (could share with Football or Athletics) - Suitable sailing location - Shooting range - Skate park - Full tennis facilities 4.2.2 Logistical considerations Location of permanent Olympic park will have to be situated within a reasonable distance of: - Suitable sailing location - Stretch of water suitable for rowing and canoe sprint - Roads for marathon, triathlon (running and cycling events), road cycling - Suitable mountain biking course 4.3 Benefits - All can be assured the events will take places in well-maintained facilities that meet all requirements and standards. - All will be assured facilities will be ready in time for the games. - Time and money saved on bidding process for host nations. - Reduce the amount of money going in to the IOC.