Could Rio games come to London? Olympic bosses make secret plea to use 2012 venues

[AngryAmish]

Source: Evening Standard (RW?)

London has been secretly asked if it would be able to take over the 2016 Olympics because Brazil is so far behind on preparations, the Evening Standard has learned.

An informal approach was made by Olympics bosses to discover whether enough venues from the triumphant 2012 London Games could be brought back into use.

The disclosure follows growing panic at the International Olympic Committee over the shambles in Rio, where organisers are badly behind schedule.

IOC vice-president John Coates has called Brazil’s preparations “the worst I’ve experienced”. He told a Sydney conference last month that construction had not begun on some venues, infrastructure was significantly delayed and water quality was a major concern with just two years to go.

Read more: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/could-rio-games-come-to-london-olympic-bosses-make-secret-plea-to-use-2012-venues-9344084.html

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I originally got this from Geoff Shakelford, and in the comments someone says Sydny has also been asked.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. Plus no one on the IOC has gotten a suitcase of cash recently!

This aggression will not stand!

[sharp_stick]

2. It seems like almost every time

an Olympics is coming up a newspaper from the area of the previous games comes up with this same story. Most recently in Vancouver when the Sochi olympics were falling way behind.

I think these stories are planted to try and put a boot in the ass of the people dragging their heels in the country next hosting.

[Blue_Tires]

4. +1

It's a bullshit story...If the IOC decided to move the games, the Brazilian gov't would tie things up in court for 20 years...

There would also no incentive anymore for Brazil to NOT reveal just how much $$$$ changed hands with the IOC to even secure the Olympic bid...

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Well, Brazil made a deal with the devil. . .

. . .and the devil will have his due. . .

http://www.haymarketbooks.org/pb/Brazils-Dance-with-the-Devil

[SwankyXomb]

5. Didn't the IOC do the same thing to Greece?

I remember rumors that they were talking to Los Angeles about taking over the 2004 games, mostly to spur the Greeks into getting things going. I wouldn't be surprised if the IOC was looking for another kickback though, since they're so corrupt, they make Don King look clean.

[yellowcanine]

6. Olympics should end this nonsense and build permanent facilities in Greece for the summer games.

They could still move around the winter games but imo this whole thing of building expensive new facilities every four years is wasteful and turns the Olympics into a kind of nationalistic contest to see who can be the most extravagant.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. Agreed.

If we are going to have this foolishness, let's at least stop wasting so much money.

[MicaelS]

16. They should build a permanent winter games site, too.

Perhaps Switzerland, or one of the Nordic countries.

[frylock]

7. the olympics are such a tremendous waste of money..

what an absolute clusterfuck.

[mackerel]

9. Greece got pressured into having a games they couldn't afford

and now they're stuck with austerity measures. Pass it onto Sydney, they're set-up for it, they have the money,
and aren't over populated.

[hauckeye]

10. How about a permanent site

I think we should go to selecting a permanent site where the Olympics are held each time. Then money could be contributed towards keeping the venues up-to-date instead of building new ones every 4 years.

[Xolodno]

11. How about they put a cap...

...on how much a country can spend on each needed venue...and only can build a new one if one doesn't exist or if upgrading an existing one is cost prohibitive. You know, the idea of spending within one's means.

It seems like every four years its about out doing the previous venue and spending more.

But it won't happen, IOC officials like to be wined, dined and courted better than the Tsar of Russia of old.

[Earth_First]

12. Another vote for a permanent facility...

The tens of billions these facilities cost host countries is mind-boggling.

Take a look at the facilities in several host countries a decade later. They're in massive states of disrepair and/or completely abandoned.

Participating countries could collaborate through some system of upkeep on a permanent facility and the 'home' country would then have some sort of additional costs incurred to install their personal touches on the Olympic Village..

Just a thought.

[sir pball]

13. Or a rotating series of the already-built venues

Don't necessarily lock it into one place, but reuse a handful of the already-built and known-successful venues (London, Sydney, Greece, so forth). It would be a hell of a lot cheaper and still provide some variety. Maybe draw straws instead of using a set schedule to liven things up more.

[brentspeak]

14. Brazil is hosting the Soccer/Football World Cup next month

If it turns out to be a crime-infested and poorly run disaster, then the 2016 Olympics should be moved elsewhere.

[dipsydoodle]

15. That is forecast to coincide with a heatwave.

El Nino.

[Yavin4]

17. In 2009, Brazil won the bid for the games beating out Chicago.

At the time, the RW was overjoyed, as they saw it as a rebuke of Obama who pushed for the games.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Maybe they're waiting to see how many tourists are stabbed to death by street thugs during the

World Cup.