"Taking the pulse" will be the theme of the next IOC Session in one year's time. And if they aren't careful, the IOC could go on life support.
Tromso just dropped out of the 2018 Winter Games bidding, citing escalating costs for it's government. The worldwide credit crunch has hit the bids. Another issue that is to be decided is if the current IOC President, Jacques Rogge will stick around for another term. And it's the once-every-ten-years-or-so IOC Congress. Whew-there is going to be enough to keep everyone busy.
The upcoming IOC Session will be a good opportunity to seriously examine the future of the IOC, the bid process itself, and where the IOC will be going in the next five, ten, fifteen or so years. Taking stock of itself, you could say. I would hope this time, they buckle down and take stock of the serious issues that have been sorely neglected during the Rogge presidency. We've discussed some of them here. Otherwide the next IOC president will have a mess to clean up on their hands.
It concerns me that the same issues that seem to come up again and again at an IOC Session are the ones that the IOC very publicly chooses to ignore: the escalating costs of bidding, despite Dr. Rogge's commitment in 2003 at Prague "to bring the costs of the Games down", the continued issues in regards to doping, and now, issues that have come up regarding the ages of athletes in certain competitions. Enough already!
My hope for Copehagen is that the Session and Congress will take on these issues, so we can move on to more new and positive aspects of sport that enrich all our lives, to the betterment of all concerned.
It will be a good way to avoid declaring the IOC DOA.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Denver-not so fast!
They're at it again.
Didn't they go thru this once before-and tell the IOC to stick it where the sun doesn't shine?
The Metro Denver Sports Commission thinks they can bring an Olympics to Denver. Remember the last time Denver was actually awarded the Games, only to have the tree-huggers vote the Games out of town? Innsbruck, Austria saved the day, and in turn, saved the IOC from major embarassment.
I recall a conversation I had with a senior IOC member in regards to a possible Denver bid. He told me it "would be a cold day in hell" before the IOC would ever award another Games to Denver, all because of "what happened the last time."
Sport Accord to be held in Denver next March is sure to have some hot and heavy discussion regarding any Denver bid. My personal opinion is that Denver would best be served if they forgot about the Olympics and tried to lure another major sports event, such as the Super Bowl to Denver, that would have less risk and less chance of failure, due to the amount of public money that is needed to finance a bid versus committing hundreds of millions of public money that in the end might not be successful.
Save your money, Denver. Your citizens will thank you in the end.
Didn't they go thru this once before-and tell the IOC to stick it where the sun doesn't shine?
The Metro Denver Sports Commission thinks they can bring an Olympics to Denver. Remember the last time Denver was actually awarded the Games, only to have the tree-huggers vote the Games out of town? Innsbruck, Austria saved the day, and in turn, saved the IOC from major embarassment.
I recall a conversation I had with a senior IOC member in regards to a possible Denver bid. He told me it "would be a cold day in hell" before the IOC would ever award another Games to Denver, all because of "what happened the last time."
Sport Accord to be held in Denver next March is sure to have some hot and heavy discussion regarding any Denver bid. My personal opinion is that Denver would best be served if they forgot about the Olympics and tried to lure another major sports event, such as the Super Bowl to Denver, that would have less risk and less chance of failure, due to the amount of public money that is needed to finance a bid versus committing hundreds of millions of public money that in the end might not be successful.
Save your money, Denver. Your citizens will thank you in the end.
