Your top 5 Olympics that never were

[yoshi]

PyeongChang 2014 - & more to the point, the enabling of Munich 2018 & Oslo 2022 that would've followed it. As understandable & even laudable as the Sochi decision looked back in 2007, hindsight sadly shows it as one of the IOC's worst choices. 

[anthonyliberatori]

Would've loved for a Madrid Olympics to have gone through. Hopefully, when the IOC is fully back on its feet, as well as Spain itself, maybe a Madrid Olympics could be possible, or hell, a return to Barcelona. Always thought it was weird how one of our most successful Olympic host countries only got to host it once, but tried many times afterwards and got rejected. 

[Rob2012]

Nothing weird about it. They tried again for 2012, which would've only been 20 years after Barcelona, so no surprise the IOC went for another city. They then stupidly tried to be the next host after London - another predictable rejection. 2020, ok maybe a better shot, but nobody can say Tokyo wasn't a sound choice.

I agree, having Madrid hosting would be good, but not sure how their stadium options stack up now. Atletico now own that stadium and whilst I understand it's technically possible to fit a track (it'll likely lead to quite a small capacity for an OS), I can't see the club giving up their stadium for two seasons around an Olympic Summer. Also, iirc, the building meant to be the Aquatics Centre was also sold to Atletico and is going to become a training base or club offices or somesuch. They'll need to completely rework their concept to bid again.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Rob.

[FYI]

4 hours ago, Rob. said:

Nothing weird about it. They tried again for 2012, which would've only been 20 years after Barcelona, so no surprise the IOC went for another city. They then stupidly tried to be the next host after London - another predictable rejection. 2020, ok maybe a better shot, but nobody can say Tokyo wasn't a sound choice.

Exactly - & I’d also add that even former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch advised Madrid not to bid for 2016, but they didn’t heed his advice. So that in itself spoke volumes about their (low) chances. And for 2020, while under normal circumstances their odds would’ve been a bit better, Spain was still in the middle of a dire economic recession & the Operation Puerto doping scandal that didn’t help their bid any. 

I’ve always said that the Spainards should’ve kept going after a Winter Olympics instead, with Jaca or Zaragoza (which they probably would’ve got by now) before mounting on another Summer Olympic bid so soon after the Barcelona ‘92 Games.

[FYI]

Salzburg 2014 was a missed opportunity by the IOC, IMO. While we can say now after the fsct that Sochi 2014 was one of the worst decisions by the IOC, would having chosen Salzburg or PyeongChang for 2014 back in 2007 deterred the Russians & Putin from trying again? I think not.

They, & mainly Putin, would’ve been persistent until the IOC finally gave in & having a Winter Sports power like Russia finally host their first Winter Games. It just could’ve been “keeping the can (or problem) down the road” with Sochi 2018 last month or probably Sochi 2022 later on, so we still more than likely would’ve had to deal with the Sochi aftermath sooner or later regardless & still scaring off other cities away from bidding for the (winter) Games. 

[olympian]

Melbourne 1996

Rome 2004

Toronto 2008

Madrid 2012

Sion 2006

PyeongChang 2014

Munich 2018

Chicago 2016

[Sir Rols]

Okay...

Alexandria 1920 - Would have been nice if Africa had hosted its first Olympics so early in the piece. It was an option then, and could have probably pulled it off well in the style of the time (especially considering the shell-shocked state of the world then that saw Antwerp stage a pretty rough and frugal affair).

Buenos Aires 1956 - Not that I woiuldn’t have also wanted Melbourne 56, but, again, would have been a great opportunity for South America to celebrate its first games in a city that at the time still held a bit of its cachet.For all the troubling politics of the country then, BA hadn’t yet slipped from its former status as the Paris of the South.

Sydney 1988 - My home town celebrating its Olympics in its Bicentennial year would have been nice on its own, and it would have probably been a more city-centric plan, based around Moore park, than what we ended up doing in 2000. Olympic Park would have been a short walk up the road for me.

Ostersund 1994 - Another personal one. It might have meant replacing the near perfection of Lillehammer 94, but who’s to say their Nordic neighbour couldn’t have pulled it off just as well. Probably Sweden’s best shot at the WOGs and they came oh so close, but yet so far. And I would have had the pick of relatives to stay with right in the district.

And the fifth? I had to think about this one. Most of their games since 2000 have pretty well gone to the hosts I would have preferred or picked myself (apart from the upcoming 2022 and 2028 editions). NYC 2012 would have been nice to see,  but London sure delivered as well. Still glad Rio had its moment. In the end, I’d probably have to go with...

Munich 2018 - Sigh! Far more fitting as the first dual SOG-WOG host than Beijing. Again, like Ostersund, a missed opportunity that looks like not getting a shot again anytime soon. If PC had only been four years earlier or later...

Edited April 1, 2018 by Sir Rols

[baron-pierreIV]

Here are my top 10:

Rawalpindi 1896

Jerusalem 1900

Chicago 1904

Rome 1908

Berlin 1916

Harbin 1920

Barcelona 1936

Tokyo 1940

Helsinki 1944

Denver 1976 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by baron-pierreIV

[Ikarus360]

Pyeongchang 2014: For the reasons most of us in GB have already stated. The IOC messed up really bad by picking Sochi, thus beggining the decline the Olympics have been suffering ever since (and which PC has tried to clean up)

Munich 2018: Not that I didn't liked PC's job but Munich would had been an awesome host if PC was chosen in 2014. 

Oslo 2022: A country with genuine, true love for Winter sports and which also offered us a magical winter olympics in 1994...and then we ended up with Beijing and Chairman Xi. 

 

[stryker]

This is an interesting thread. Here's my list.

Summer

1. New York 2012 - I admit I'm biased here, but I had been hoping ever since the closing ceremonies in Atlanta that New York would be next on list when the Olympics returned. It would've been cool to finally see a New York football team actually playing in New York City. Then it all fell apart.

2. Tehran 1984 - The 1979 revolution ended this before it got going. There's so much history in Iran and I'm sure the ceremonies would've been a sight to see. 

3. Buenos Aires 1956 - They got so close.

4. Cape Town 2004 - Still the closest Africa has ever gotten though I wonder if Cape Town dodged a bullet by not hosting when you consider the legacy or lack thereof that Athens.

5. Toronto 2008 - Still perhaps the best bid plan that never won.

Winter

1. Munich 2018 - Always seemed like Munich was destined to be the first city ever to host both editions, then 2022 and Beijing happened.

2. Denver 1976 - No need to rehash this one.

3. Vancouver-Garibaldi 1980 - Would it have looked similar to Vancouver 2010 with Garibaldi standing in for Whistler. I know the bid collapsed before the final vote, but I'm curious as to why. Anyone know? I have to wonder how Canada's bidding history would be different if Vancouver had hosted in 1980, maybe Calgary would've been the 2010 candidate?

4. Helsinki 2006 - A bid that applied the concepts of Agenda 2020 before Agenda 2020 was even a thought. I think you would've seen a much livelier spectator atmosphere compared to Torino.

5. Sarajevo 2010 - Sure it was a long shot and it stood little chance, but it would've been something to see that city come full circle after all that it went through. While the Games are too big for Sarajevo today, it would be graeat to see Sarajevo as part of a bid at some point, maybe sharing venues with Slovenia and Serbia.

 

[Olympianfan]

Since 2000 I would say the best 5 Olympic Games that were never were was with 

1 Rome Italy 2004 it would of been amazing with Saint Pope John Paul 2 still around we could of had another Olympic Games Mass like their was in Rome 1960 with Pope John 23 Turin like ceremonies in Rome with possible the President of Italy co opening up the Games with Pope John Paul 2 the ceremonies and the games would of been grand in Rome, With that Sion 2006 would of happened.

2 Bangkok Thailand 2008 had Bangkok Thailand been elected in the shortlist and won the hosting an respected country with Bangkok hosting many sporting events like the Asian Games the respected last King of Thailand opening up the games it would of been a great way to bring the games to South East Asia back then the troubles of Thailand would of likely not of happened if the games happened.

3 Moscow Russia 2012 - Los Angeles USA 2016 would of been a great way to write the wrongs of the 1980s with the Boycott movement Moscow 2012 would of stopped the big spend of Sochi 2014 and likely that PyeongChang South Korea would of hosted the 2014 Winter Games with Munich Germany hosting 2018, With NO Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 the Olympic movement would of been strong today.

4 Shanghai China 2020 with the failed Beijing 2000 and 2008 bids China would of gone and bid with Shanghai after the 2010 World Expo the fastest growing Chinese mega city would of been a great host to the 2020 Summer Games.

5 Toronto Canada 2024 with the 2008 plan 48 years since Montreal in having hosted the 2015 Pan American Games with Vancouver hosting the 2010 Winter Games it would of been an great way to bring the games back to Canada build the Olympic Park on the Waterfront.