MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
How the Madrid 2020 Olympic dream was shattered to pieces
The Spanish delegation arrived in Buenos Aires as favourites to host the 2020 Olympics in Madrid. They had top credentials: the future King (Prince Felipe) himself a sports enthusiast; the least demanding and irritating budget, (based on Brazil’s ongoing experience) and ample public opinion support in Spain despite the economic situation and record unemployment. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesSounds like deliberate sabotage by some quarters of the Spanish 'team'.
Sep 07th, 2013 - 06:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Maybe they realised that they can't afford the Olympics, and the rest of Europe were certainly NOT going to bail Spain out again.
The Spanish may be disappointed, but it really is better for them in the long term. They can always rebid for the 2024 or 2028 games, when their economy is in a better place.
Or maybe the Spanish newspaper made it up........ for similar reasons.
Sep 07th, 2013 - 06:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I hadn't heard that Spain was ahead going into BsAs.
As I mentioned in an earlier post I am not sure that cut-priced games will be welcomed in seven years time. Things will be different then.
.......what goes around, comes around!
Sep 07th, 2013 - 07:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Madrid, land from cartagineses, romans, celtics, visighotics, swabians, vandalos, north-africans, humans. Loved Madrid! I stay with you!
Sep 07th, 2013 - 07:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Madrid Olympic dream shattered to pieces” This South Atlantic News Agency is totally reaching the deepest darkest pits of hell, and all because of Gibraltar... When hate becomes your everyday food.
Sep 07th, 2013 - 09:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 01996? Atlanta, some hellhole city in North America and best remembered for a deadly bombing.
Sep 07th, 2013 - 09:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 02000? Sydney, an unknown city in the middle of nowhere and in a horrible time zone, so no one watched.
2004? Athens, a chaotic place in a chaotic country which now is starving to pay for the games
2008? Beijing, capital of a ruthless dictatorship and the most poluted city on Earth
2012? London, totally unprepared to host (as Mitt Romney smartly pointed out), half-empty venues and tons of organizational mistakes
2016? Rio, full of crime and poverty, and the population against having the games in the first place
2020? Tokyo, I guess now we are going for the mutant olympic games with Fukushima still smoldering then
I think all of them places are fitting for the IOC. Thank god Argentines don't give a rat's ass about that sport.
Argentines do not give a damn about anything.
Sep 07th, 2013 - 10:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7
Sep 08th, 2013 - 01:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0Now ain;t that the truth, not even for their own population.
6 is only saying that cos he knows all hell will freeze over before the IOC would even consider Argentina so he's making excuses for his own country before his country is lampooned for being the most unorganised, indebted, backward, and corrupt country in the southern hemisphere.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 02:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0@2 Elaine.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 03:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0Exactly, the bookies had Japan as favourites.
Plus it's curious the Spanish papers don't refer to Gibraltar. Spain's recent behaviour was unbelievable for a candidate nation with a big vote coming up. Plus the corruption allegations would have worried voters trying to dissociate themselves from the IOCs own problems.
@6 TTT
Sydney, Beijing and London were all great games. As for Argentina not being interested in the Olympics then why host the Olympic Selection meeting? Your post sounds like a petulant teenager saying they're not bothered when they are. The kind of wholesale changes needed in Argentina to permit an Olympic bid seem a very long way off - and that's me putting it generously.
According to 6 a better place to host The 2020 Olympics would be Mars where one Saudi citizen already agreed to be sent to never return.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 04:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0@10 TiT may be a petulant teenager. If he's made it as far as “teenage” years. My impression is that he hates virtually everyone. It's basic insecurity. What is interesting is that from 1896 to 2012 NO latam city has hosted the Olympic Games. This explains why he hates even the concept.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 04:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Turnip at (12) says....:
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Interesting is that from 1896 to 2012 NO latam city has hosted the Olympic Games”
I say...:
Geeeeeee.......
I would have sworn that Ciudad de Mejico was a Latam City!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Summer_Olympics
#6
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0We all know why Argentina and you in particular are ashamed of your underwhelming and frankly useless national efforts at any Olympics. It is because of the world exposure of Argentine national deceit last year re the Fernando Zylberberg embarrassment.
If only there was an Olympic event in National deceitfulness.
Gold : Argentina
Zylber : Argentina
Bronze : Argentina
@13 Unfortunately for your brainlessness, Mexico City is in a CENTRAL AMERICAN state. Latam is a special place of mindless, no-brain inconsequence.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0#15
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Latam is a special place of mindless, no-brain inconsequence.”
Crikey Conq... you're going soft mister, you rate it as high as that!
Turnip at (15) says....:
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Mexico City is in a CENTRAL AMERICAN state.”
I say...:
Geeeeeee.......
I would have sworn that Ciudad de Mejico was in a NORTH AMERICAN state....
The IOC took a chance by taking the Olympics to South America. They wanted to be more inclusive and look for big cities because it is such a huge circus now. Already they are nervous about the decision because of all the trouble and chaos in Brazil and wanted a safer option for the next games.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0TTT is pretty desperate in his post. The London 2012 games were praised the world over and many said the best ever. If it had been a disaster I would have been the first to admit it here but it was not, it was fantastic. It was a success.
I find this story interesting because I suspect there is some underlying event that caused their bid to go wrong other than just pure incompetence.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 08:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0We all know Tobias's post is pretty desperate and belies reality and nearly every country pouring complements on London for its truly brilliant management and performance at the Olympics, just like its athletes who also performed brilliantly.
I'd of personally preferred the Olympics to be in Spain rather than Tokyo even notwithstanding their extremely childish and pointless posturing over Gibraltar which they are already badly losing on every level.
@17 The Bitter And Twisted Old Twat Of Chew Butt
Sep 08th, 2013 - 08:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0And you were the swede who praised Mexico and PEMEX as the way to go when TMBOA stole YPF from its legal owners, without of course a Dollar in compensation.
NOW, it turns out PEMEX (as anybody with half a brain thought) was ruined by government mismanagement and for the last straight NINE years has suffered reductions in yield, etc. etc.
Never mind Chuckle, Chuckle, it has to be HAW, HAW, HAW. What a twat.
Amazing ! with the support CKF af firm supporter of Debt Welshing you didn't get the games.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 09:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Spain was unsuccessful because the Spanish government has been telling lies about Gibraltar not having any sovereign territorial seas.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 10:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmfaff/memo/overterr/uct26402.htm
TWIMC
Sep 08th, 2013 - 10:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0The fact is that the Olympics have been a very bad investment for each and every hosting City (Country) in the last seventy years…..
“Join the club, London…..
A study that will be published later this year (2013) by Oxford University says London may have been hit especially hard by the curse of the Olympics: cost overruns and under-delivery on promises of economic transformation.”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/07/the-curse-of-the-olympics.html
Official! It was a conspiracy against Spain - it must be a genetic thing....
Sep 08th, 2013 - 10:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0SPANISH TEARS
Members of the large Spanish contingent were in tears when they emerged from the bar onto the streets of the redeveloped port area of the Argentine capital on a grey, rainy afternoon.
“We believe the result bears no relation to the way [our presentation] was made. A decision like that is based on other criteria,” Spain’s education minister Jose Ignacio Wert told reporters.
“Everyone who attended the presentations of the three rival cities today can be in no doubt Madrid’s was the best.”
Madrid had been confident of success after narrowly missing out on the 2012 and 2016 Games.
Fencer Jose Luis Pirri echoed Wert’s comments and suggested tactical voting had eliminated the Spanish capital.
“We expected to be in the final with Tokyo but it’s obvious they didn’t want us in the final because Madrid would have been very strong,” said Pirri.
“It’s a strange decision. Madrid has deserved to hold the Games for a long time and on top of that we are out in the first round, it’s quite absurd.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/madrid-stunned-by-failure-to-land-2020-olympic-games/article14177836/
Tobi, as usual, is very selective in his view of the London Olympics. I remember that there was a debacle with security before the games and it was sorted with everyone who visited praising our armed forces who organised it. And, someone hauled up the wrong national flag once. These events were possibly the only things reported in. RGland who only came way with one or two medals vs dozens for the UK. Dumkopf!
Sep 08th, 2013 - 11:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0LOL! As you claim to be living in a country that will never get a chance to host the Olympics, you must be very happy. LOL!
Sep 08th, 2013 - 11:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0”But then the Madrid daily El Mundo in a display of arrogance published in front page the leading heading: “50 of the 98 IOC members have promised to vote for Madrid”
Sep 08th, 2013 - 12:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Like all the countries in the UN that 'will' back their bid for Gibraltar?
Wow, my comments hurt. Still the responses keep coming.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 12:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I made my views on the Olympics here clear WELL before the London games, so all of your apocrypha opinions are “Makulatur”, as one would say in German.
Tobi, stupid comments don't hurt anyone but the stupid commentator making them look even more stupid than usual.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 12:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Anyway... since you are here rather than your fictitious presence in Mendoza (which you don't know the geography of), you will know how well it all went and how it was praised all around the world. The Brazilians attitude was 'how can we possibly follow that!'
They didn't want to give it to Spain, which would be almost as stupid as giving it to RGland which wouldn't be capable of running it anyway.
Having read the spanish postcript of the damage they did themselves its fully understandable they failed.They the spanish olympic comittee were so pompous to take for granted,but when found it was failing,they tried any underhand mission to reverse the result.But me personally are happy they failed.They had no right to stage the 2020 olympics,their finances are down the pan,then the gibraltar problems,also with argentine link.So congratulations TOKYO.Well done.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 12:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Spain behaved exactly the same way that France behaved in last days before London won 2012, totally arrogant and over confident. Oh and dead ass broke!
Sep 08th, 2013 - 02:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Breaking news: Spain and Argentina are combining to win the Olympic games as there 'are similarities' in their lack of success.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 02:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I do so like British influence in the IOC
6 The Truth PaTroll (#)
Sep 08th, 2013 - 04:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I think the general opinion is that both Sydney and London were enormously sucessful games. Unsold tickets? The London Olympic stadium was packed solid with loud joyous crowds for every event.
You must be pretty provincial if you think Sydney is unknown. It's one of the worlds greatest cities, stunningly attractive, prosperous and exciting, and full fantastic restaurants, music, art galleries etc. Amazing Opera House, beaches, elegant streets, world class sporting stadiums. Host of the rugby World Cup, the Ashes etc. Sydney is one of the worlds truly global cities, along with London, New York, Tokyo etc.
Buenos Aires on the other hand is a faded yesterdays city, who's greatness is in the past. Full of slums and crime it is too poor and corrupt to play host to the Olympics.
“...too poor and corrupt to play host to the Olympics.”
Sep 08th, 2013 - 04:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You mean they don't allow competition?
34 Stevie (#)
Sep 08th, 2013 - 05:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Not sure if I understand your comment. I meant that it is unlikely that Argentina could put on the Olympics for the reasons I suggested. I think it also unlikely that the IOC would award the games to Argentina even if they put in a bid. Naturally Argentina is welcome to compete in any Olympics where ever they be held. I personally have no animosity towards Argentina or Argentinians but simply state the facts as I believe them to be.
I do recall the Barcelona games of 1992, which were a great success and a tremendous boost to the city and Spain. I have no doubt that Madrid and Spain could have hosted a successful games, but the delegates voted for Tokyo. I doubt that the issues raised by this article played much part in the choices of each delegate. I guess we'll never really know why Tokyo was preferrred.
You said Argentina was too corrupt to host the Olympics.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 05:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'm wondering, are the IOC afraid of competition, you mean?
36 Stevie (#)
Sep 08th, 2013 - 06:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I think I get your point. I have no knowledge of corruption within the IOC, I meant that the experience of the Olympic construction projects for the Athens summer games and the Winter games to be held in Sochi in 2014 were, and still are plagued with corruption scandals involving criminal organisations, back handers, poor and shoddy buildings, vast cost overruns, poor accountability etc. Some of the facilities for the Athens games were finished only weeks before the games were due to start. Many of the contracts, (e.g.transport facilities and security firms) were awarded after substantial bribes were paid to foreign companies.
I suspect that the IOC would have serious concerns that such problems would afflict any games awarded to a country as notoriously corrupt as Argentina.
@33
Sep 08th, 2013 - 07:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What is wrong with being a city or a country of yesterday? I still don't get why you brits or whoever you are think that is an insult. It has never worked with me.
I have always said Argentina (economically) is gone and never coming back. I also say money is not everything in life, which is why you in the north so rich and flaunty about it are some rather miserable bunch.
38 The Truth PaTroll
Sep 08th, 2013 - 07:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I never claimed there was anything wrong with being a fading country of yesterday, and of course money isn't everything. I don't think I've ever meet anyone who believes it is. However the UN human development index shows a clear corelation between the wealth of a country and its development. The wealthy European social democracies have the wealth to pay for education, health care and social programs such as state pensions, disability allowances maternity and paternity leave. Money can pay for enviromental protection programs, research into clean technology efficient transport programs etc, etc.
I live in a poor part of London but you should see our stunning new local library and our renovated local heated lido. The worse of our local public housing projects have been bulldozed and replaced with new high quality housing. We also have a new overground transport link into central London. So even in Hackney life is getting visably better, and money made it happen.
You may not be bothered by Argentinas decline but the millions living in the “Villa miseria's” would probably prefer the quality of life and opertunities that a more prosperous Argentina would offer them.
And what makes you think Argentina is never coming back economically? Good Governance with moderate efficient non-ideological politicians and an end to corruption can work miracles.
Well good for Hackney. What else do you want me to say.
Sep 08th, 2013 - 07:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 040 The Truth PaTroll
Sep 08th, 2013 - 08:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well it's 1.30am in London and I'm off to bed, so you could say goodnight?
6 Toby Big Nostrils said
Sep 08th, 2013 - 09:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“I think all of them places are fitting for the IOC. Thank god Argentines don't give a rat's ass about that sport.”
Quite sour, said the fox of rowan berries.
Big Nostrils, little balls
Sep 08th, 2013 - 11:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Hahaha
Sep 09th, 2013 - 02:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0It's true though, all those sports are there for the ones who fail at football... ;)
Surely the elephant in the room is that the way Spain has been bullying little Gibraltar has made the international news. Thus enough of the IOC delegates decided Spain was not where they wanted the games. I'm not saying this is the only issue that disadvantaged Spain. Spain hosting the games last in 1992 whereas Japan was last 1964 may have been a factor. Prior to 2012 London last hosted in 1948. I'd say Paris really missed out as they last hosted in 1924.
Sep 09th, 2013 - 04:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0its quite simple, The IOC try and spread the games around regionally. Europe, Americas, Rest of World.
Sep 09th, 2013 - 07:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0It was the turn of Rest of World....Japan can afford it, Tokyo is an iconic city, and they havent had it in half a century.
2024 is likely to be Europe again..probably Paris.
46 Monkeymagic (#)
Sep 09th, 2013 - 08:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Fair point. My Spanish friends feel pretty gutted they didn't win it. However no doubt people in Japan would have felt equally gutted if they had ended up as the losers.
I do hope that the IOC don't go crazy in the future and do a FIFA and award it to some desert kingdom. The World Cup in Qatar? How bad an idea is that? 50 degrees in the shade? Aparently there's a move to bail them out and shift the World Cup to winter, when its only 40 degrees., and wreck the schedule of Europes footy leagues. We'll see. See Ya.
@47
Sep 10th, 2013 - 03:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0I am not sure Madrid is likely to get it so soon after Barcelona, but you never know...Atlanta got it just a few years after LA and it was a poor games.
I'd prefer to see it spread globally, perhaps Baku, Cape Town, a Kingston games!!!, Ho Chi Minh,
Perhaps a Dubai games would be difficult for the endurance sports, but they certainly know their equestrian.
Mi6 strike again when shit happens to your enemys take the credit and make them more paranoid.
Sep 10th, 2013 - 06:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Perfidious albion
Perhaps the ”relaxing cup of Cafe con leche speech from Annie Bottle, the Mayor of Madrid, had something to do with it. Most Comical.
Sep 12th, 2013 - 06:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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