Poland 2036

[AustralianFan]

Following the successful recent hosting of the European Games 2023, a number of reports have emerged on Poland’s interest in a 2036 bid for the 2036 Summer Olympic Games.  This one is coming from the Poland Government itself.

 

Poland should bid to host 2036 Olympics: sports minister

Kamil Bortniczuk made the statement in an interview with Poland's PAP news agency on Wednesday.

Asked if the 2023 European Games had proved Poland’s credentials as a possible host of the Olympic Games, the sports minister said the country "has a big chance to land Olympics" in the future and "should submit its candidacy."

Bortniczuk added: “It’s a political decision. I will be urging for such a decision to be made.”

The Polish sports minister told the PAP news agency: “By successfully holding the 2023 European Games, we have made a giant step towards assuring the sports community that Poland is capable of being a brilliant host of various multi-sport events.”

 

 

>> Link to full report: Poland should bid to host 2036 Olympics: sports minister by polkskieradio.pl

[AustralianFan]

Still, Poland is an interested party in 2036 and this coming directly from the Poland Government itself.

I agree Rob, the race is getting crowded.

 

[AustralianFan]

From ITG:

Polish Sports Minister sets sights on Olympics after European Games hosting

"It can be said that last year we took 80 small steps, because we organised in Poland 80 competitions of the rank of world championships, European championships, World Cups - in senior and youth competition.”

 

Credit: Polish Sports Minister sets sights on Olympics after European Games hosting - Inside The Games - 12 July 2023

[AustralianFan]

Poland wants the Olympics in 2036 - The News Glory - July 4, 2023

[fusilli]

Why not? They have experience, stadium and ongoing economic growth. Plus, closeness to Germany can provide some further help.

[StefanMUC]

The current Polish govt would rather chop off its own hands and feet than ask for any kind of German help. And they’ll probably remain in power after the autumn elections too.

But given their liking for authoritarianism, they’d perfectly fit.

[fusilli]

^^ but still, so far, they look like serious contenders against the likes of other Euroasian interested players.

[SportLightning]

Maybe Warsaw could be Poland's preferred city.

[FYI]

5 hours ago, StefanMUC said:

But given their liking for authoritarianism, they’d perfectly fit.

One would think that with what's been going on to their neighbor directly to their southeast for the past year-&-a-half, that they would ease up on that type of liking. 

[StefanMUC]

7 hours ago, FYI said:

One would think that with what's been going on to their neighbor directly to their southeast for the past year-&-a-half, that they would ease up on that type of liking. 

Kaczynski always hated Putin and Russia, even more so after blaming him for the plane crash where his brother/President died in 2010. That didn’t stop him creating a party around his own will himself. And that party is still highly manipulative and thus very likely to win the elections.

[Brekkie Boy]

A low bar for "successful hosting" then.   Yes, the games went without a hitch - but they also went largely unwatched, both in person and across the continent.   The latter not really their fault but poor ticket sales is a real red flag.

[stryker]

I visited Poland in the summer of 2019 (Krakow and Warsaw). While it's not easy to stomach, I made the trip to Auschwitz as well. If Eastern Europe is going to host a SOGs, better Poland than Hungary which is rules by Putin-lite. However, I don't see the lotic logistics wise behind a prospective Polish bid with Warsaw rather than Krakow. Historically, Krakow offers more IMO, but more importantly Krakow has a base to work with using the venues from the European Games.

Most importantly, Krakow has one venue that Warsaw does not and it's the one venue that is the Achilles heal for the likes of Madrid or the Rhine-Rhur regional bid, a sizeable athletics stadium in nearby Slaski which was recently renovated and hosted athletics for the European Games and at 55,000 is more than enough for an Olympics. Warsaw's national stadium is impressive but cannot accommodate an athletics track and no local football club currently needs one. Legia Warsaw, the top club in Warsaw recently moved into a new 31,000 seat stadium. The intentions of a bid are right, the preferred city is wrong.

[FYI]

Krakow for a Summer Olympics? Even Warsaw would be pushing it, since their metro area is a bit smaller than even Brisbane's. Krakow is Poland's Leipzig. Krakow would make a great candidate for a Winter Olympics, but way too small for a SOG's, regardless if they already have an athletics stadium in place. But we already know what happened with their 2022 Winter Olympic bid anyway. 

[stryker]

On 7/28/2023 at 3:53 PM, FYI said:

Krakow for a Summer Olympics? Even Warsaw would be pushing it, since their metro area is a bit smaller than even Brisbane's. Krakow is Poland's Leipzig. Krakow would make a great candidate for a Winter Olympics, but way too small for a SOG's, regardless if they already have an athletics stadium in place. But we already know what happened with their 2022 Winter Olympic bid anyway. 

Fair enough. TBH I had forgotten about the failed 2022 bid. It's definitely a longshot if a bid were even to materialize. Thoughts on a Warsaw-Krakow joint bid? I still maintain a London or German bid clears the field pretty quickly.

[FYI]

The verdict is still out on joint bids. We'll have a better picture on how practical they really are once Milan-Cortina 2026 is in the rear-view mirror. Although, Warsaw-Krakow would be more compact than the former.

[baron-pierreIV]

Krakow already tried to bid with Zakapone and Tatra mountains of Czech Republic for 2022; but it proved unfeasible.  

Kraków bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics - Wikipedia 

[StefanMUC]

1 hour ago, baron-pierreIV said:

Krakow already tried to bid with Zakapone and Tatra mountains of Czech Republic *** for 2022; but it proved unfeasible.  

Kraków bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics - Wikipedia 

*** Slovakia

Anyway, I think I‘ve seen more coverage of the Kraków-Malopolska European Games on here than in actual German news media. 
Often, a local enthusiasm for Olympic bidding is fired up by such events, but whether anything comes out of it…well, in theory I think Poland would be a good option, but right now this may well have to be seen against the background of the ruling party‘s nationalistic agenda and the upcoming elections.

[Roger87]

I think, considering the current global situation, Poland may be "our kind of bastard" (Not offense to the country, the line is related to the government) per West. "L'enfant terrible" but essential and necessary to balance things in Central Europe. Also keep in mind Poland is currently the 5th economy of the EU and has a good tradition per sports.

Related to Warsaw, while it's true the metro area of the city is smaller, if the idea is to make the SOG to 2036 (at least), Warsaw metro area will increase its population to consistent levels according to some estimations, especially with the recent boom of construction and the location of key European and transnational enterprises in the coming years. Another thing in difference, Warsaw is more liberal comparing Krakow (Actually comparing the Southern and Eastern Poland) and also more cosmopolitan. 

Maybe this can be a dark horse for the European bids, but if Germany is still "Nah" and the IOC wants Europe, maybe Warsaw can be a back up plan, especially comparing Istanbul or Russia.

[Roger87]

On 7/28/2023 at 9:25 AM, stryker said:

I visited Poland in the summer of 2019 (Krakow and Warsaw). While it's not easy to stomach, I made the trip to Auschwitz as well. If Eastern Europe is going to host a SOGs, better Poland than Hungary which is rules by Putin-lite. However, I don't see the lotic logistics wise behind a prospective Polish bid with Warsaw rather than Krakow. Historically, Krakow offers more IMO, but more importantly Krakow has a base to work with using the venues from the European Games.

Most importantly, Krakow has one venue that Warsaw does not and it's the one venue that is the Achilles heal for the likes of Madrid or the Rhine-Rhur regional bid, a sizeable athletics stadium in nearby Slaski which was recently renovated and hosted athletics for the European Games and at 55,000 is more than enough for an Olympics. Warsaw's national stadium is impressive but cannot accommodate an athletics track and no local football club currently needs one. Legia Warsaw, the top club in Warsaw recently moved into a new 31,000 seat stadium. The intentions of a bid are right, the preferred city is wrong.

Actually there's one Athletic Stadium in Warsaw (at least in prospective project to 2025-2027)... Stadion RKS Skra. Currently closed but in projection to rebuild a new athletic and rugby stadium from the original one from the Soviet era. 

The idea of this is creating a sport complex with areas like basketball, rugby and athletics. While the main stadium is per 25,000, it has the potential to be temporary expanded. 

[stryker]

39 minutes ago, Roger87 said:

Actually there's one Athletic Stadium in Warsaw (at least in prospective project to 2025-2027)... Stadion RKS Skra. Currently closed but in projection to rebuild a new athletic and rugby stadium from the original one from the Soviet era. 

The idea of this is creating a sport complex with areas like basketball, rugby and athletics. While the main stadium is per 25,000, it has the potential to be temporary expanded. 

Expanding a 25,000 seat stadium to Olympic size would be costly then there's the issue of it being a white elephant since no Warsaw rugby club would need a stadium of that size much less one with an athletics track. IMO that makes Slaski a far more affordable and feasible option.

[Roger87]

1 minute ago, stryker said:

Expanding a 25,000 seat stadium to Olympic size would be costly then there's the issue of it being a white elephant since no Warsaw rugby club would need a stadium of that size much less one with an athletics track. IMO that makes Slaski a far more affordable and feasible option.

The idea is keeping the point like the recent World Athletics Championship like they did with Eugene, which proved to be successful in that mild expansion to 50,000. 

The other proposal is adapting the stadium as multi-purpose, as they are currently doing with the Athletic lanes and the rugby field. 

[stryker]

3 hours ago, Roger87 said:

The idea is keeping the point like the recent World Athletics Championship like they did with Eugene, which proved to be successful in that mild expansion to 50,000. 

The other proposal is adapting the stadium as multi-purpose, as they are currently doing with the Athletic lanes and the rugby field. 

Eugene was only at 30,000 for the world championships. That's likely not acceptable for an Olympics.

[FYI]

13 hours ago, Roger87 said:

I think, considering the current global situation, Poland may be "our kind of bastard" (Not offense to the country, the line is related to the government) per West. "L'enfant terrible" but essential and necessary to balance things in Central Europe. Also keep in mind Poland is currently the 5th economy of the EU and has a good tradition per sports.

Related to Warsaw, while it's true the metro area of the city is smaller, if the idea is to make the SOG to 2036 (at least), Warsaw metro area will increase its population to consistent levels according to some estimations, especially with the recent boom of construction and the location of key European and transnational enterprises in the coming years. Another thing in difference, Warsaw is more liberal comparing Krakow (Actually comparing the Southern and Eastern Poland) and also more cosmopolitan. 

Maybe this can be a dark horse for the European bids, but if Germany is still "Nah" and the IOC wants Europe, maybe Warsaw can be a back up plan, especially comparing Istanbul or Russia.

Sure, as the old saying goes, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. But still way too early to even begin to comprehend the 2036 race at this point, even for the IOC, regardless of their latest mantra of "renewed interest in the Games via the new-norm". Things can change, especially when we're talking about a span of several years here (the only thing I will say about it, is that 2036 is Europe's to lose).

I seriously doubt that the IOC will be moving at warp-speed to award 2036, like they did with 2032. So unless Poland has their own John Coates-ki on board lol, I have a feeling that the IOC is just going to wait this one out for as long as they can, until they see something that they absolutely can't live without. There really is no sense right now to speed up 2036 at all, regardless of what current global conditions are, because in a few more years, those conditions can be very different. Heck, they still don't even have a 2030 host yet to be thinking about what they're gonna do about a Games still 13 years out, much less to be thinking about a back-up plan when things are still very fuzzy at this point in regards to the 2036 Games. 

 

[iceman530]

So, all things equal........if Poland and Seoul are the final two, who gets it?  Seoul?

[Roger87]

Well, it's official now...