Countries soured on bidding for future Winter Olympics?

[QueenOfTheRoad]

I think the concept of one city/region organizing such extravaganza is not anymore feasible for many countries. They should change the concept: do the opening /closing ceremony in a city, the competitions spread between regions. If they are not concentrated anymore, the facilities can be used for more years (perhaps even use existing facilities). A little bit like the soccer worlds. The advantage is also that you don't have to develop an infrastructure which no one will need it after the olys, you won't have half a city in construction and traffic jams and you won't have to build tons of hotels/dorms/etc. This model can especially work for the summer oly, while for winter one they can just make the region organizing bigger. I can imagine like this Austria would be more able to organize when all Alps and not just a small part would be used.

Second: they should cap how much money are to be invested in the whole ceremonies and everything else which is not sport. The simple sport should be once again in the spotlight, not "the best organized oly from all times".

 

[MalAssada]

Rio was also rife with corruption and a fine example of the venues rotting after use. And the conditions weren't great. Remember the insanely polluted water? And the improperly chlorinated pools? From what I remember, a lot of money was spent, but it went to lining the pockets of individuals instead of to the actual Games. The Olympic chief was arrested in 2017 for the stuff that went down.

Thanks for this post (much as it saddens me to agree with it). Let's not even get started about the huge opportunity Brazil had to show the world other fantastic touristic places, but nooo, let's host this at literally the only known place in Brazil. It angers me so much about how much untapped potential for tourism Brazil has - currently, more people visit Paris in a year than the entirity of Brazil.

 

[NymphyNymphy]

We should have the next olympics in Sochi. Lets see who gets robbed this time. In all seriousness, IOC needs to stop being greedy. These olympics come out of the pockets of financially struggling citizens.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Don't anybody speak of the Rio Olympics in my presence!

I am still mourning the loss of the Autódromo de Jacarepaguá.

Like, OK, I know the facilities were run down and not anywhere near the standard that is expected of an international race track. But, it was a brilliant circuit, and the pits and all could have been replaced had the will been there to do so.

And what a backdrop to be racing in front of!

https://abrilveja.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/homenagem-ayrton-senna-19860323-08-original.jpeg
http://www.motocorse.com/pd/albums/Motomondiale/Motomondiale 2004/Round Rio/Alex Barros 02.jpg

Sure, the authorities promised that a new circuit would be built at a different site in Rio. But, why not build the Olympic Park there and keep the existing circuit?!

As it turned out, the new circuit has never materialised, and probably never will. Meanwhile, the Olympic Park at Jacarepaguá has been left to rot.

Some people just don't appreciate what they have. :disapp:

(Or, should I say, some people appreciate brown envelopes more than what they have...)

CaroLiza_fan

P.S. Here is my previous rant on the subject, with lots of nice pictures and videos so that we can fondly remember what we have lost.

 

[Ded Moroz]

Another thing - move the timing from end of February to mid January.

the first week of february is the Ded of winter

 

[moonvine]

They should just rotate the winter Olympics between three locations for a while(next 50 years or so)... one in North America, one in Europe, and one in Asia.

I don't think you'd be able to find enough places that wanted to host. It's so expensive and you're talking about doing it what every 12 years? You know a lot of these locations let the venues go fallow because they can't afford to maintain them. It's very sad. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/olympic-venues-that-were-abandoned/

 

[moonvine]

They roll around in their giant pile of bribes. The IOC has resisted contributing to costs, which is the primary reason cities don't want to host anymore (who wants to spend billions of dollars on specialty stadiums/apparatuses that will only be used once and will likely just be left to rot?), so they really are useless.

At this rate, the 2030 Olympics are going to be held in my backyard.

I call dibs on the couch.