Posts: 3,079
Threads: 203
Joined: May 2002
Reputation:
0
I have a funny feeling that Chicago getting booted out had more to do with the obnoxious treatment of tourists by Immigration & Customs people than anything else.
Coming into this country, you're treated like you're a potnetial terrorist until you can prove otherwise. The Border agents can be so rude and bossy and there's no way to protest.
We get hassled when we've been to Vancouver, even though we have the proper resident alien credentials and live 70 miles from the border. Then people in government wonder why tourism is down. Duh!
Frank
Frank Damp (wife Eileen, nee Nixon)
Leyland resident 1941-1965, emigrated to the US in 1968,
retired to Anacortes, Washington State, USA in 1999.
Posts: 9,242
Threads: 140
Joined: May 2002
Reputation:
0
I think Chicago was an unpopular entry from the beginning. Firstly Atlanta hosted what was perceived world wide as a bit of a disaster in 1996. In addition the jingoistic nature of the American crowd was frankly embarrassing. Never before has a home crowd displayed such nationalistic behaviour or chants of USA USA been heard. The games are supposed to be friendly games and other competing nations must have had their noses put out. Well payback time. Whether Obama's presentation was the straw that broke the camel's back no-one can know. But well done to Rio, about time South America had the games.
Posts: 3,857
Threads: 266
Joined: Mar 2003
Reputation:
0
I`m surprised that the USA even applied in the first place. I would have thought that 1984 and 1996 was far too recent to stand any chance of being selected again.
Jim
Posts: 9,242
Threads: 140
Joined: May 2002
Reputation:
0
Happy birthday Phil. Jim, agreed though remember U.S.A. is more a continent than a country.
Posts: 1,530
Threads: 57
Joined: Jul 2003
Reputation:
0
It beats me why anyone other than politicians sports people and the ultra fortunate ( members of the IOC ) would want the games in the form they've become in recent years .
Posts: 3,857
Threads: 266
Joined: Mar 2003
Reputation:
0
Alan, It would have been hoped that the legacy left behind, in terms of improved infrastructure would benefit a host country. Unfortunately, that is seldom the case.
Jim
Posts: 1,530
Threads: 57
Joined: Jul 2003
Reputation:
0
Jim, Toronto has in recent times put on very expensive effort to attract the games, the City of Toronto , the Provence of Ontario and the Federal government were all prepared to spend millions of dollars should Toronto have been awarded the games.
They were not awarded to Toronto ,much to the satisfaction of many who could see that the money could be spent in a more useful manner which would benefit the whole community, however of course Toronto is in a financial hole , all kinds of things needing millions of dollars are not being funded , yet we didn't get the games . This past summer they've evenclosed some outside swimming pools for lack of funding to operate them ! So , if the money was available to support the 'two weeks' of the games , why can't that same funding be used to pay for what's deemed necessary now ? Who needs a velodrome ?
When the Olympics were 'ameteur' and not burdened with the massive cost of satisfying the ego's of the officials , that was the time that the Olympics were useful, people got together and competed and intermingled on an international level, now, money has ruined the whole experience , making a fiasco out of what was a respectable and desirable event . There's no logical reason why the games cannot be on a more fundamental basis , let athletes compete on exixting tracks, let the selection be based upon the eaisting facilities available., and get rid of the corrupt IOC who spend their time galavanting around the world living the high life for no good reason !
]
]
