Toronto?

[intoronto]

Bcuz the dynamics of the 2020 race is mainly about which of the 3 candidates (which is already a small field to begin with) provides the LEAST risk to the IOC. N at the moment, that is Tokyo. Surely if the 2020 field was bigger with more credible European options, Pyeongchang 2018 would be more of an issue for Tokyo 2020, but that's not the case here. Plus, Japan N South Korea R in fact 2 SEPERATE countries, whereas Bristish Columbia N Ontario R both in the 'same' of Canada.

Yea so Toronto/Paris were of a less risk in 2008 but Beijing won.

Well you got a point there, but Korea/Japan are closer to each other and are in the same region as BC/Ontario.

One day Toronto will host and 2024 should at least be a bid.

[NY20??]

I think to the IOC, Canada is Canada no matter what providence is bidding.

BC and Ontario =/= South Korea and Japan.

[FYI]

Yea so Toronto/Paris were of a less risk in 2008 but Beijing won.

Well you got a point there, but Korea/Japan are closer to each other and are in the same region as BC/Ontario.

You can't honestly be comparing that the most populous country in the world, that is also a sporting powerhouse at the Summer Olymlics, N which was already bidding for a second time N was considered the big favorite, with this current less thsn stellar race R u?

But the fact still remains that Japan N South Korea R two different countries. Distance is not really an issue in the majority of the cases. Look at how close to one another the European countries R, but they host almost right next to each other a lot of times.

[intoronto]

You can't honestly be comparing that the most populous country in the world, that is also a sporting powerhouse at the Summer Olymlics, N which was already bidding for a second time N was considered the big favorite, with this current less thsn stellar race R u?

But the fact still remains that Japan N South Korea R two different countries. Distance is not really an issue in the majority of the cases. Look at how close to one another the European countries R, but they host almost right next to each other a lot of times.

You stated the Tokyo will win due to the IOC wanting the safest option. In 2008 you say they didn't. So what is it? Is the IOC looking for the safest option or not?

[Faster]

I am just not convinced anymore that Toronto will host. It will depend on bidding at the right time and providing the right bid. Istanbul winning 2020 would probably provide the best opportunity in the foreseeable future (up to 2036) in 2024. But if the Americans bid, it is all over. And then you will run into races pre-desposed to go to Asia, Africa and Europe again and by the 2030's Australia with their much stronger pedigree will be in the game again.

[Sir Rols]

You stated the Tokyo will win due to the IOC wanting the safest option. In 2008 you say they didn't. So what is it? Is the IOC looking for the safest option or not?

I don't think Beijing was a particularly "risky" choice for the IOC. Politically, perhaps, but technically I doubt the IOC had much fear they wouldn't deliver.

[Gangwon]

I just landed in Toronto for 24h.... Is a local can advise me what should I see & visit to discover the olympic potential of this city ?????

It's too bad I didn't know earlier. I would've been happy to show you around this city on this somewhat-sunny Sunday.

[intoronto]

I don't think Beijing was a particularly "risky" choice for the IOC. Politically, perhaps, but technically I doubt the IOC had much fear they wouldn't deliver.

How FYI worded it, he stated the Tokyo was the Safest option for 2020 and the IOC wanted the safest option. So the IOC selected Beijing which wasn't the safest option in the race.

I am just not convinced anymore that Toronto will host. It will depend on bidding at the right time and providing the right bid. Istanbul winning 2020 would probably provide the best opportunity in the foreseeable future (up to 2036) in 2024. But if the Americans bid, it is all over. And then you will run into races pre-desposed to go to Asia, Africa and Europe again and by the 2030's Australia with their much stronger pedigree will be in the game again.

Yea but the Americans will likely get a WOG first before a Summer Games be it 2022, 2026 or 2030.

[FYI]

How FYI worded it, he stated the Tokyo was the Safest option for 2020 and the IOC wanted the safest option. So the IOC selected Beijing which wasn't the safest option in the race.

I don't understand what's so hard to comprehend here. The dynamics of the 2008 race were totally different than the ones for the 2020 one. Beijing was a formidible opponent that the IOC could no longer ignore. They had already said 'no' to them for 2000, So the IOC was hard-pressed to have rejected the most populous country in the world with that huge of an untapped Olympic market, that's also a Summer Olympic powerhouse that had never hosted the Olympics before, for the 2nd time. N like Rols also pointed out, China was "risky" political, but not so much that they couldn't deliver the Games. The had the funds to give the IOC the big sha-bang & gave them the most expensive Olympics ever to date. Even Osaka, Japan was turned away in that race.

But 2020 doesn't really have a Beijing or even a Rio in it to pull the IOC's chords with other than Istanbul. But even in their case it still needs convincing in order for the IOC to give them the honor. N also considering the global economic crises, which makes Madrid shaky, Tokyo has the edge in that dept. N then you factor in the political climate, which then makes Istanbul a bit shaky, which then gives Tokyo the edge in that dept, too.

You can't blindly go in & look at every race with black-&-white glasses & judge them exactly with past elections. As has been noted many times on here before, each bid race is different with a totally different sets of dymanics that determines the final outcome. I would think that considering someone that's been here a year already, that they would've picked up on that aspect by now.

[Blacksheep]

Why do people think the political issue is shaky for Istanbul? - they've got an ongoing Kurdish issues about 1,000miles away, but the Kurds don't have a history of attacks that would disrupt 2020.

Turkey has a strong economy, and is as politically stable as most countries in Europe.

[FYI]

Well, what's going on in Syria right now doesn't seem like it would help matters any, Granted in 15 months time, when the votes takes place, & if & when this all blows over, it could well be forgotten about, Unless another flare-up nearby occurs. But as far as politically stable, I'd still say that Tokyo has the edge in that dept. & that was the main point, really. Plus, it also remains to be seen, how Istanbul's still not so different, spread out venue plans from their previous bids will be received by the Evaluation Commission next year.

[Blacksheep]

Well, what's going on in Syria right now doesn't seem like it would help matters any, Granted in 15 months time, when the votes takes place, & if & when this all blows over, it could well be forgotten about, Unless another flare-up nearby occurs. But as far as politically stable, I'd still say that Tokyo has the edge in that dept. & that was the main point, really. Plus, it also remains to be seen, how Istanbul's still not so different, spread out venue plans from their previous bids will be received by the Evaluation Commission next year.

I would say that Tokyo, in missile range of the unstable and widely erratic North Korean regime, has a position issue with this, not taking into account, the terrible environmental problems which exist on the Ring of Fire.

After all Tokyo is closer to Pyongyang than Istanbul is to Damascus.

[FYI]

N yet the IOC had no issues whatsoever in awarding the 2018 Winter Olympics to PyeongChang despite North Korea being virtually right in it's backyard. Nor awarding Sochi 2014 despite volatile Chechnya being a stones throw away. The thing is though, Turkey seemingly is trying to get involved in this Syria conflict, & that's not gonna do them any favors if this situation escalates.

[Gucci]

There are rumblings behind closed doors. City officials are deciding either a Toronto 2024 Olympics bid or a 2025 Toronto Expo bid. I'm hearing the Olympics bid has higher prioriity but Councillor Wong-Tam is pressing for Expo. I'm also hearing that Exhibition Place, Ontario Place and the Portlands will under go big re-developement plans for the 2024 Olympic bid. I'm also hearing that Mayor Ford is now regretting his decision to not support a Toronto 2020 Olympic bid for a couple of reasons. One being the lack of competition and also the fact that the City of Toronto will end up in a $90 million Surplus this year when he originally said this city would be in a big deficit when he declined to support the 2020 Olympic bid last year.

[Sir Rols]

There are rumblings behind closed doors. City officials are deciding either a Toronto 2024 Olympics bid or a 2025 Toronto Expo bid. I'm hearing the Olympics bid has higher prioriity but Councillor Wong-Tam is pressing for Expo. I'm also hearing that Exhibition Place, Ontario Place and the Portlands will under go big re-developement plans for the 2024 Olympic bid. I'm also hearing that Mayor Ford is now regretting his decision to not support a Toronto 2020 Olympic bid for a couple of reasons. One being the lack of competition and also the fact that the City of Toronto will end up in a $90 million Surplus this year when he originally said this city would be in a big deficit when he declined to support the 2020 Olympic bid last year.

So, coulda, woulda, shoulda, eh?

[Gucci]

So, coulda, woulda, shoulda, eh?

Yeah basically. He knows he missed the ball on this one. Thankfully his approval rating just keeps dropping and dropping and I'm sure he won't be re-elected for a 2nd term. I'm not sure if you are aware of the Mayor of Toronto but he's a total douche.

[Gangwon]

All around, Mayor Ford is just an idiot.

[intoronto]

There are rumblings behind closed doors. City officials are deciding either a Toronto 2024 Olympics bid or a 2025 Toronto Expo bid. I'm hearing the Olympics bid has higher prioriity but Councillor Wong-Tam is pressing for Expo. I'm also hearing that Exhibition Place, Ontario Place and the Portlands will under go big re-developement plans for the 2024 Olympic bid. I'm also hearing that Mayor Ford is now regretting his decision to not support a Toronto 2020 Olympic bid for a couple of reasons. One being the lack of competition and also the fact that the City of Toronto will end up in a $90 million Surplus this year when he originally said this city would be in a big deficit when he declined to support the 2020 Olympic bid last year.

Unbelievable! (not literally) Rob Ford is an idiot. However hard to see the IOC giving the games to Toronto just 3 years after Vancouver. Everything happens for a reason and Toronto's time will eventually come. Hopefully the city chooses the Olympics because in all honesty the world expo? lol

[Guardian]

Well, in NORTH America, there are only so many countries in it. It has the big three: Canada, USA, and Mexico. Not to state obvious facts, but these three countries have hosted an Olympic Games so far. The rest of NA consists of nations that need major help in many areas. Hosting the Olympic Games would be pretty much impossible to achieve here.

Well, that said, it doesn't mean that these other nations haven't tried to get a bid for an Olympic Games going. Havana (Cuba) and San Juan (Puerto Rico) tried, but failed to get candidate status in each case.

Also, the cost of hosting just one Olympic Games alone could bankrupt certain nations, if not done properly. The events between winning the bid and actually hosting it almost becomes international news, if things get sensational enough. However, on the flip side, the prestige on the city and country hosting one is huge.

[Athensfan]

I would say that Tokyo, in missile range of the unstable and widely erratic North Korean regime, has a position issue with this, not taking into account, the terrible environmental problems which exist on the Ring of Fire.

After all Tokyo is closer to Pyongyang than Istanbul is to Damascus.

Good grief.

The fact that they have yet to conduct a successful test is beside the point I suppose.

These tangents are absolutely ludicrous.

[Blacksheep]

Good grief.

The fact that they have yet to conduct a successful test is beside the point I suppose.

These tangents are absolutely ludicrous.

What is ludicrous is your lack of knowledge.

The North Koreans have and have successfully tested the Rodong1 missile - basically an updated Scud for you Americans. This was successfully launched in 1993 and has been additionally exported to both Eygpt and Libya. It can be

a) fitted with a nuclear warhead

has a range of 1,000km (proven) with a hit accuracy of 2-4km

North Korean fired successfully 7 of these in 2009 giving Japan the willies

As Tokyo is 800km from North Korea, please explain what is ludicrous about it?

p.s. the missile I believe you were ignorantly referring to was one designed to strike the Hawaiian Islands and West Coast

[FYI]

North Korean fired successfully 7 of these in 2009 giving Japan the willies

As Tokyo is 800km from North Korea, please explain what is ludicrous about it?

Hmmmmmmm, I don't think that Athensfan has a "lack of knowledge" on the subject. I think that what he is referring to what is ludicrous is what's the fricken point on u going on about this obtuse point.

Like I mentioned earlier, Y should this matter to Tokyo when South Korea is even THAT much closer to North Korea than Japan is. Yet the IOC had no problems whatsoever in giving PyeongChang the 2018 WOG's. It's certainly not giving Tokyo any "willies" from bidding for the 2020 SOG's either.

You really think that the North Koreans would risk having every nation on the planet being against them if they attacked a Japanese Olympic Games. Please. I don't think that even they R that stupid. Some people always tried using this argument against PyeongChang 2018, but in the end, it obviously meant nothing to the IOC.

[Blacksheep]

Hmmmmmmm, I don't think that Athensfan has a "lack of knowledge" on the subject. I think that what he is referring to what is ludicrous is what's the fricken point on u going on about this obtuse point.

Like I mentioned earlier, Y should this matter to Tokyo when South Korea is even THAT much closer to North Korea than Japan is. Yet the IOC had no problems whatsoever in giving PyeongChang the 2018 WOG's. It's certainly not giving Tokyo any "willies" from bidding for the 2020 SOG's either.

You really think that the North Koreans would risk having every nation on the planet being against them if they attacked a Japanese Olympic Games. Please. I don't think that even they R that stupid. Some people always tried using this argument against PyeongChang 2018, but in the end, it obviously meant nothing to the IOC.

Clearly is what a lack of knowledge .... it was said that it was ludicrous to think North Korea could hit Tokyo because their missiles explode at launch. A 30 seconds Google search would reveal that comment to be totally false.

People are happy to think that some how events in Syria are going to have a negative impact on the Istanbul bid however ... despite in being 8 years and a 1,000km away.

If people are going to say Istanbul will be affected by Syria, then Tokyo can be equally impacted by the actions of North Korea

At Seoul 1988, the experienced Kim-Il-Sung was in power, and the North Koreans were still being economically supported by the Soviet Union and China who kept them on a tight leash,

In 2012, the Soviet Union no longer exists, China are trying to wash their hands of the North Koreans, who potentially will become far more volatile in their behaviour as they desperately cling to power. Under the crazier Kim Il Jong, they even attacked and sank the ROKS Cheonan in international waters .... and they've now got an even more unknown and experienced and potentially volatile leader desperately trying to cling to power. If we think Syria and their dying regime is a problem, it is not a patch on what might happen if North Korea does a 'Libya'.

And unlike Syria and Istanbul, the North Koreans can actually strike Tokyo tomorrow

[memorabilia]

Olympic potential? You can visit potential venues like the air canada centre and the Rogers Centre which are within walking distance of each other. The CN Tower is right beside the R.Centre.

Generally speaking the downtown area is where all the venues will be located so take a looke around the harbour as well.

Back from 3 days in Toronto, and should say I have been pretty impressed by this city.

Good luck for the PanAm Games in 2015 and let's bid for the 2024 games... I will say a word to Marcel on this ;-)

[Gangwon]

Did you enjoy our heat wave the past week? The one thing this city could use is more outdoor pools