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Where do you see the Olympic movement 50-100 years from now?


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I have been to many Olympic and non Olympic cities. I have interview those on the street and those who live on the streets and many government officials. If you still think that the Olympics are about "friendship and peace" then walk in parts that tourists don't see in Olympic cities. Again look at the world from the view of 360 degrees. If I am negative so be it,but their is one thing that I can put down is that I'm being realistic.

Yeah, I've been to a lot of hosts too - 17 out of 23 summer games host cities. And many of the more recent around games time too - and attended the games themselves for work and as a spectator. ALL cities have their bad parts and districts - the world is not a utopia yet, even the richest cities of the globe. And, human nature being what it is, in the lead-up to the games, people will grumble over what they see as inconveniences the preparations bring to their daily lives. Almost 100 per cent, though, once the games come it IS the time of their lives, the citizens have a fantastic time, and can't wait to bid on something like it again.

Anyway, your member name indicates you're an "Olymik fan". I've still yet to see you post anything that indicates you're a fan of anything to do with the games. What aspects of the games are you a fan of? What do you LIKE about the Olympics to make you such a fan?

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Plateau, in this sense, means level off.

Hmmmm...I wouldn't say Greece will never host again. Yes, they are having problems right now, but 50-100 years is a long time and forever/never is even longer. Much can change. The 2004 Olympics were likely a factor in Greece's problems today, but the country has a lot of other contributing factors that crippled their economy. Like a public service that employs 1 in 5 citizens and guarantees employment for life. Or something like that. But look to the past to inform the future...Antwerp and London hosted the Olympics right after devastating world wars. Saint Louis was once one of the most prominent cities in the USA. China didn't join the Olympic movement until the 1980s. And South America seemed like it was never going to get an Olympiad. Things change.

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Plateau, in this sense, means level off.

Hmmmm...I wouldn't say Greece will never host again. Yes, they are having problems right now, but 50-100 years is a long time and forever/never is even longer. Much can change. The 2004 Olympics were likely a factor in Greece's problems today, but the country has a lot of other contributing factors that crippled their economy. Like a public service that employs 1 in 5 citizens and guarantees employment for life. Or something like that. But look to the past to inform the future...Antwerp and London hosted the Olympics right after devastating world wars. Saint Louis was once one of the most prominent cities in the USA. China didn't join the Olympic movement until the 1980s. And South America seemed like it was never going to get an Olympiad. Things change.

Hear, hear! I totally agree. It's fun hypothesizing but there are guaranteed to be some big surprises.

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Saying Greece will never host was probably a bit dramatic, but I don't expect them to host until 2096 at the earliest. The country is simply too small, and is plagued by issues that one could argue that hosting in 2004 was a byproduct of the behavior that has lead to their ills today.

They seemed to handle to Games well, but the construction delays leading up to the Games, and white elephants left behind don't shine the best legacy on their experience as hosts.

With today's news, it seems like they are perfectly content with bringing down Europe with them. Don't think that is going to sit well with the European dominated IOC.

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The country is simply too small, and is plagued by issues that one could argue that hosting in 2004 was a byproduct of the behavior that has lead to their ills today.

I think that's the right way to phrase it. 2004 was not the cause of Greece's collapse. However, the mindset that prompted them to think it was reasonable to bid for the Games is directly responsible for their problems. For the longest time they just couldn't accept that you don't get something for nothing. Sooner or later you have to pay the piper.

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Thank you for this topic, this is something I wanted to get off my chest for a while.

I do not believe there will be any Paralympics in 50 years time, there will be no need. I envision Paralympic disciplines running abreast the Olympic counterparts, ala Commonwealth games and IAAF world championships, but with a much greater presence. Rather than two separate events, there would one Olympic schedule that caters for the Paralympians, and thus in an inconvenient consequence results in extending the Games for a couple of days to accommodate the added events. This would happen as a result of an unification or some other deal between the IOC and IPC, but not before moral objections very similar to the Oscar Pistorius row that we have just witnessed, but on a grander scale and involving tuxedo suits. this will happen at a time when the equilibrium of awareness between the Olympics and Paralympics is much closer than what it is currently.

What's happening now to make me think we are going in this direction? Paralympic athletes are now starting to become mainstream attractions (case in point Kurt Fearnley, Oscar Pistorius), Olympic and Paralympic mascots are introduced at the same time and sometimes marketed together (but I don't know about Sochi), and Delhi and Daegu had Paralympic deviations of the events. I know medals in Daegu Paralympians won were counted separately from the main count, I am as yet undecided on what to do here.

As for the Olympic movement:

The Olympic rings will still be the symbol associated with the movement. However I see many counties rebrand their NOC, some more than once.

There will be a sport replaced from the Olympic sports roster that would peeve a lot more of people than softball being demoted after 2008. My best bet would be handball.

Man, I get exhausted thinking about this. I keep think about the future of other subjects in the running of the OG, which I risk going off topic, so they're not on this post.

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Answering the thread question, IMO, 50 years from now, Olympics will be something very similar to what we have today...

Some sports will be added, other removed, some new frontiers will watch live the games, some corruption will happen, but the main thing: "a sports event held every 4 years, touring the world" will be there.

We probably will see more woman power inside IOC, emerging countries with other weight in the decisions...

I think Winter Games will lose some importance as for climate change will narrow the "ice zone" of planet even more, maybe this lead the first Winter Games in South America...

At the same time, I can see Youth Games and also the Pan-Regional games gaining more attention.

(that`s just my opinion) :)

Brazil will host another Summer Games.

In 50 years? It would make me very happy, but I think the next South American country to host will be Argentina, in 3 or 4 decades from now.

Buenos Aires is a strong name, with all in shape, they will be a great contender.

Now, they can't even host a Copa America, as we saw last july.

I'd like tosee, in my lifetime, a Canadian city host the summer games. Already experienced two winter games, want to see a summer games.

Unless, you are 80 years old, the chances are really big. Toronto will be a great bid for 2024 or 2028 after the PanAm games.

I'm almost sure Canada will be the next non-US host of summer games in Americas.

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That's not really going out on much of a limb. There isn't another non-US country that can host in the Americas, apart from Canada.

Mexico? Cuba? Argentina? Chile? Brazil again? No to all of the above.

It's just a bet I made.

Mexico - yeah... can be... but not too soon

Canada - for sure, they will host soon

Cuba - next big event for them is Fidel's funeral

Argentina - they need to solve intern problems, specially in their economics (to be nice)

Chile - First, they need a PanAms

Brazil - It's unlikely, but possible... Still, first Brazil must prove its organization power with Rio 2016.

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Brazil is not getting their second Summer Games before Canada does. No possible way.

For sure... I think Brazil will not get second Summer Games in the next 40 to 60 years, at least...

My list was about "hosting someday soon" :)

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I think Brazil will get another Games between 50-100 years from now. Not within the next 50 years...

So, for sure, not in the next 40 years, it's a consensus. ;)

Brazil next games.... Mmm :/ Brasilia or Porto Alegre maybe... Or another time Rio. Cuz Sao Paulo is getting too crowded.

In a Sao Paulo vs Porto Alegre battle for Olympics, I'd say Sao Paulo would win by a landslide as big as the distance from Sun to Earth...

After Brasilia (planned city and already built for huge events), Sao Paulo is the next natural choice. No city in Brazil has the infra-structure Sao Paulo have (not even Rio).

If Sao Paulo get a "bit" (to be nice) more beautiful, better organized about traffic and clean (both pollution and visual) in the next 50 years, Sao Paulo is the next natural choice in Brazil to host the games. ;)

Don't worry, Canada is the next non-US country in the Americas to host the games, with big chances to host before next US host. :)

I made a mess quoting and answering Intoronto, the previous quote is not from him, but my answer to him. :)

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