Rio Wins Bid for Olympics 2016

[MetroMan]

Despite President Obama's unprecedented appearance before the IOC and the love affair the world has with America's new President, Chicago was eliminated on the first ballot.

It all came down to Rio de Janeiro vs Madrid and Rio came out victorious.

Rio needed this more than anybody else. This will put a timeline and resources towards ending the slums, police corruption and drug related gang violence.

Of course, the IOC wasn't blind to the beauty of Rio and the incredible backdrop it will make for the 2016 games.

Standing there on Ipanema beach was an inexplicably spiritual experience for me and still gives me goosebumps to this day.

This may well be the first Olympics that I attend.

Having the Olympics in Rio, coupled with Toronto's great chances at hosting the 2015 PanAm games puts our city in a great position to bid for 2020 or 2024.

 

[jn_12]

2020 is Toronto's for the taking now.

Brazil is going through what Canada had in the 60s-70s with Expo and the Montreal Games. The 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics are going to act as a launching point for that country. It'll be a lot of money to devote to both events, but there's a lot of potential there too. It'll be an exciting time to be a Brazilian.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

I am extremely happy that Rio won the bid, as my friend is from Brazil and we might plan a trip to see the games and her family. Maybe some of my family from Guyana might cross the border and see the games as well. It is about time South America hosted the Olympics and Rio played the "South America never have the Olympics before" card very well!!

To think President Obama's words and presence would have persuaded the IOC to give Chicago the games is aboslutely silly. I am sure Chicago put together a great bid but President Obama, Mayor Daley, and Chicagoans have bigger problems to worry about right now such as the out-of-control youth violence in Chicago's Black communities.

 

[Roy G Biv]

II am sure Chicago put together a great bid but President Obama, Mayor Daley, and Chicagoans have bigger problems to worry about right now such as the out-of-control youth violence in Chicago's Black communities.

?

Chicago's got nothing on Rio when it comes to out-of-control youth violence.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

?

Chicago's got nothing on Rio when it comes to out-of-control youth violence.

Whatever...all I am saying is to whoever loses, they should go home and worry about bigger issues than winning an Olympic bid. If Rio lost, then I would have said they should worry more about whatever major issue is before them

 

[Filip]

I was standing at Plaza de Oriente with thousands of other eager and excited Madrilians only to hear Rogge say the games are going to Rio. It gave me an eerie deja vu with Toronto 2008.

I think in this case the IOC has made a terrible mistake.

I did get a chuckle when some guy grabbed a loudspeaker and yelled OYE HOMBRE VAMOS A LAS FAVELAS!

 

[MetroMan]

Juan_Lennon416, Yes we can back it up. I've seen it myself. Go to the top of Corcovado (where the Christ statue stands).

On one side of the mountain, you see the beautiful beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana with all the gorgeous hotels, beautiful people, a thriving touristic paradise.

Look to the other side and you literally see the complete opposite. The favelas are rampant, ugly and scarey, even from far up. It's like Christ has this view of heaven and hell.

It's common knowledge that Rio has out of control violence. A year in Toronto's murder count is a few days in Rio. My girlfriend is Brazilian but from Sao Paulo. We've been to Rio. Her parents who live in Sao Paulo -- which in itself has a high crime rate -- have told me that we won't be making our usual trip to Rio when we visit Brazil next January. It's that bad. The locals know it better than anybody else.

With the world watching for the World cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, Brazil has no other option than to defeat this problem. The IOC knows this. They seem to be on a humanitarian mission lately, choosing China for 2008 in a bid to open it to the world and shine light on the humanitarian problems there and now in choosing Rio which desperately needs the world's attention focused on it in order to solve its own issues.

 

[gabe]

To think President Obama's words and presence would have persuaded the IOC to give Chicago the games is aboslutely silly. I am sure Chicago put together a great bid but President Obama, Mayor Daley, and Chicagoans have bigger problems to worry about right now such as the out-of-control youth violence in Chicago's Black communities.

What about Rio's problem with thousands of child and adolescent soldiers operating in drug gang wars ?

 

[khris]

It's going to be interested to see how they pull it off in Rio. It's not going to be easy for them, that's for sure.
I am glad they got it though, as I think it will really increase our chances of getting it in 2020. I hope Toronto decides to go for it!

 

[lordmandeep]

Well Obama has learned a lesson.

You don't get everything...

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

Too many people continue to think Obama is some sort of saviour and that is absolutely silly!

Anyway, Rio won the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, I will be down there to see it, and I think they will do a very good job! Also, the games happening in a tropical setting would be awesome!

 

[doady]

I'll take South Side Chicago over City of God any day.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

I'll take South Side Chicago over City of God any day.

The IOC would take the City of God over South Side Chicago any day. Also, it becomes a feel-good story. The games are finally coming to South America where it would allow people from neighbouring 2nd and 3rd world countries to scrape up some money to go and see the games or just see and feel that Olympic atmosphere.

 

[Second_in_pie]

I am extremely happy that Rio won the bid, as my friend is from Brazil and we might plan a trip to see the games and her family.

wow creepy, I'm in the exact same situation!

Though I agree, I can't imagine Toronto not winning the 2020 or 2024 olympics. It'd be such a great city to host the Olympics, and hopefully the Pan Am games will help prove that.

 

[Irishmonk]

Having spent a week in Rio, quite a few years ago, I will say that from many angles it does appear like an almost otherworldly vision of a tropical paradise; I doubt there is any urban setting on Earth that has the magic of Ipanema Beach or Corcovado. However, no matter where you are in the city it's hard to turn your head either way and not notice entire hillsides covered in the bizarre, corrugated shanty towns that have appeared in films like City of God and The Incredible Hulk.

The Olympics will present massive logistical problems that will require incredible amounts of money, organizational savvy and local co-operation. Transportation alone will provide huge challenges. And there's the youth drug/crime issue which I can't see being solved by anything less than turning Rio into an armed camp.

Rio benefits enormously by having the Brazil 2014 World Cup to act as a trial run. Many of the crime, infrastructure issues may be on their way to being solved by the time the Games come 2 years later. It will be interesting to see how this all transpires. I wish Rio all the luck in the world.

On another note, I don't think Chicago losing will help Toronto in 2020 (if indeed we even want the Games.) I doubt the IOC will grant 2 games in a row to the Western Hemisphere. 2024 is a possibility, depending on what happens in 2020. Africa will be in the running for that one--depending on how the 2010 WC goes. And Tokyo will almost certainly bid again, as well as a plethora of other ambitious Asian and Middle Eastern cities like Bombay, Istanbul, Dubai, Kuala Lampur...

It could be a long wait for our # to come up...