IOC meeting, 2013

[Deleted]

One of the bigger stories of the week is the International Olympic committee's meeting in Buenos Aires where the host of the 2020 summer Olympics will be chose. The three candidates are Madrid, Spain, Istanbul, Turkey and Tokyo, Japan. There'll also be a vote to decide a new (or returning) sport to join the Olympic program, with baseball/softball, wrestling and squash all vying to be included.

I would love to see The Olympics go to Tokyo. While Madrid would be nearer and make for more convenient viewing, I think Tokyo would be a far more interesting setting and I trust the Japanese to but on a better spectacle. As long as it isn't Istanbul I will be happy enough.

Of the returning sports I'd quite like to see squash return. The other sports seem rather marginal in terms of global appeal, though there is the argument that wrestling is an original Olympic sport, and should be on the program.

[Tradewind]

The fact that Wrestling was removed in the first place, but shit like dancing around a mat with a ribbon was left as it is...pretty much seals the deal that the IOC is fucking retarded.

[Frozenbeef]

I would watch olympics if it had wrestling :P

[EqualWin]

plz no tokio I don't want to wake up at 3 am

[Deleted]

Based on this image, Tokyo would make a lot more sense. While Madrid and Istanbul seem more "central", Tokyo is far more central to a majority of the population on this planet. Plus I think the Japanese would throw one hell of a show for it all.

I mean obviously take the picture with a grain of salt, I am more than aware of the fact that a lot of the countries in the circle are developing countries and not everyone in that circle has the opportunity to take part. But you get the idea.

[koodledrum]

It's not a picture to be discounted - within that circle you have three of the world's 5 most populous countries (China, India, Indonesia), but it doesn't necessarily make for any grounds for hosting an Olympics! Of the three cities in the running you have to consider the ability to cope with the demands of hosting a games that will easily top £15bn to host if 2012 is anything to go by, you also have to consider infrastructure & suchlike - but my money would be on Tokyo if I'm being honest given by that time it'll be 12 years since an Asian games.

As for the sports, now personally I'd consider wrestling to be a core Olympic sport which should be retained, however I'd also consider dropping several current sports - football I'd drop in a heartbeat given that in the grand scheme of things an Olympic Gold in football is not on the same level as other events (i.e. World Cup, Euro's, Champions League). I'd also consider dropping synchronised swimming & table tennis in favour of adding/retaining wrestling, squash & rugby 7's.

[Deleted]

I think Istanbul would make an interesting choice.

[Anshinritsumai]

Tokyo won the first round of elections, moving securely to the third round.

Istanbul won the second round, knocking out Madrid.

Tokyo won the third round against Istanbul, winning the bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics.


2014 - Sochi, Russia
2016 - Rio De Janiero, Brazil
2018 - Pyeongchang, South Korea
2020 - Tokyo, Japan

[Deleted]

So Tokyo Got the Olympics. I can imagine that they will put on one hell of an opening ceremony.

- - - Updated - - -

2014 - Sochi, Russia
2016 - Rio De Janiero, Brazil
2018 - Pyeongchang, South Korea
2020 - Tokyo, Japan

Guessing your counting the winter Olympics in that list ?

[Anshinritsumai]

Guessing your counting the winter Olympics in that list ?

Don't see why not. Olympics are Olympics, summer or winter; though summer is certainly the more popular of the two.

[Deleted]

I read an interesting article about the Japanese olympics (Finnish only so won't link ). They're so symbolic it's incredible. At the '64 olympics, the person lighting the olympic flame was a guy born in Hiroshima on the same day the US nuked the city. The olympic flag was pulled up a pole that was 15.21 metres high, the same measurement as their first olympic gold medalist Mikio Odan jumped at the Amsterdam olympics in 1928 (Japan's first olympic gold medalist).

Looking forward to this a lot.

[Deleted]

Really glad Japan won. I want to attend a big sporting event, and since the 2018 and 2022 World Cups are out, Tokyo could well be the one.