Jump to content

Durban 2016


Recommended Posts

Durban urged to bid for 2016 Olympics

June 22 2006 at 07:46AM

Durban is being touted as the next city to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Launching the city's Durban Beach Africa beach festival on Wednesday evening, the city's deputy mayor, Logie Naidoo, said: "We believe that the 2016 Olympic Games should come to Durban. Cape Town has had its chance. It's time for Durban to bid for this biggest of events."

No decision has, however, been made by the city's executive council, he said.

He cited Durban's facilities and the recent announcement that a R1,6-billion stadium is to be built next to the Absa Stadium in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

"2010 will be an important year, but we have always said 2010 and beyond."

Speaking after the press launch of the festival, Naidoo said that if Durban did make a bid for the Olympic Games, it stood a very good chance with South African and former National Olympic Committee president Sam Ramsamy being a member of the executive board of the International Olympic Committee.

Ramsamy hails from Durban.

The 2012 Olympics are to be held in London. Cape Town had bid to stage the 2004 Olympics but lost out to the eventual winner Athens. - Sapa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

durban is smaller i beleive; so an olympic games would be great for them in my opinion onlybecause it would be a great oppertunity to completly like re-model the city. i think though cape town is south africas best bet....is has experiance bidding and is known more internationally; so i think it should go to cape town. and if africa does get the games they best throw the best games ever to showcase being the first african city. and if johanesburg-pretoria ever get any olympic ideas mabey someday but i dont think for 2016........eventually though......so yeah CAPE TOWN 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Durban, Dubai, Daydreamers. It's not yet the year for the "D" cities. Maybe 2028.

ah, nuts....there goes my dream of a Duluth, Minnesota 2016 grassroots campaign...damnit... :blink::lol:

Anyways, I agree that Curban is probably out of the question, but I like the idea, as someone mentioned, to use the city as a "test"city, to try and see what the world thinks of the idea, and make the mistakes where they dont count...Than get cape town or Johanesburg for 2020.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I'm starting to think that maybe South Africa should go all out for 2016, be it Capetown, Durban, Jo-burg or whatever. I mean, at this stage the main competition seems to be the US or Japan, with a bunch of European cities all itching for the chance again. The trouble is, if (as likely) Europe misses out for 2016, the 2020 race is going to be one hell of a fight between the big European glamour cities. With the likes of Rome, Paris, Berlin and Madrid likely to be hungry for 2020, a new frontier hosting like Capetown may get swamped. 2016 may be the better chance after all, and even if it didn't win, it would give South Africa a few bonus starting points for the next race.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with your points roltel...I think ALL new fronteir cities should come out and bid for 2016 due to this "European smackdown" forming...even if they lose it will serve as a great run for 2020 and will give them a huge advantage over these been there done that European cities that will be claiming it is their turn to host again....but then again Europe may still be put on hold by the IOC again for 2020 and may have more realistic chances at 2024...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with your points roltel...I think ALL new fronteir cities should come out and bid for 2016 due to this "European smackdown" forming...even if they lose it will serve as a great run for 2020 and will give them a huge advantage over these been there done that European cities that will be claiming it is their turn to host again....but then again Europe may still be put on hold by the IOC again for 2020 and may have more realistic chances at 2024...

Of course, the main drawback for South Africa for 2016 would be that their main "proving ground", the 2010 WC, will not have been done by the 2009 decision. But then again, surely by 2009 everyone will know how well-prepared they are for it, and also they'd have at least the main big ticket item for an Oly bid _ the stadium _ ready for a SOG bid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont see any problems with Durban bidding. Doing well in the process is another thing. If any South African city is willing and prepared to "remodel" itself for the Games, i say why not? With proof that it is financially viable, such a bid would be unstopable. If Capetown, Jo-burg, Durban ect. could prove that they could mimic the renewal that has taken place in Athens and Beijing (here lies the problem), i dont see any harm in the Games going to Africa in 2016.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the durban bid is just blabbering by a mayor who has no clue what an olympic bid entails. he also wants to suddenly bid for the commonwealth games, even if south africa officialy supports abuja, and even if its kinda too late having missed the presentation in melbourne...he obviously has no clue what he is talking about..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the durban bid is just blabbering by a mayor who has no clue what an olympic bid entails. he also wants to suddenly bid for the commonwealth games, even if south africa officialy supports abuja, and even if its kinda too late having missed the presentation in melbourne...he obviously has no clue what he is talking about..

Yes, we know that Mo, and also that you're not keen on any South African city outside Capetown bidding (and that's fair enough). My point was more that it could be a tactical mistake for SA to wait till 2020 when it risks becoming collateral damage in what is shaping up as The Battle of the Euro Glamour Cities (plus 1 outsider) Mark II. I say strike while the iron is hot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this was going to be the main athletics stadium, it wouldn't be big enough.

I like Roltel's point about striking while the iron is hot, but I don't think they have any real chance for 2016. I think they would be better off focusing their energies on the 2010 World Cup first, and then thinking about the Olympics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

It has a design capacity to be expanded to 100 000 for major events, and HAS an athletics track, unlike the new stadium in Cape Town which will not have an athletics or even ever be able to accomodate one (total lack of foresight on their behalf)...hey and guess what, we still dont even have a design for the Cape Town stadium

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...