Live - 2016 Olympics decision day

Opener

BBC sports news correspondent James Munro on the countdown to the 2016 decision, expected around 1800 BST: "It has been a very intense few days in Copenhagen, particularly in the hotel where the IOC members are staying. It is an intense lobbying experience and it is too close to call at the moment - the presentations today, that last for about an hour for each city, could make all the difference. There are IOC members inside the hall who have not yet made up their minds and those few votes could make all the difference."

1015: So, Tokyo - whose presentation was kick-started by a 15-year-old gymnast, underlining the bid's desire to involve the children of the city should the 2016 Games be awarded them - are just wrapping up their 45-minute stand in Copenhagen, but many believe they will really have to pull something out of the fire if they are to rival the two cities considered by many to be the front-runners - Chicago and Rio de Janeiro. However, as BBC Sport's Matt Slater pointed out in his blog in August, "my guess is that we'll be left with the same equation: the IOC's heart calling for Copacabana but its head worrying about crime and passing up the riches on offer in Chicago - a confusion that might just let in Madrid or Tokyo."

BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce on Twitter: "By the way, the Chicago presentation overran by two minutes. In theory IOC President Jacques Rogge should have stopped Obama before he finished."

1001: Did you know... From the Chicago Olympic village, about 90% of the athletes are within 15 minutes of their venues? A Chicago Tribune/WGN poll found that 47% of Chicago residents support the bid? Windy City neighbourhoods consist of 26 nationalities of more than 25,000 people apiece? No? Well, you do now. You're welcome.

Anon via text: "I'm not in the slightest anti-American, I visit regularly and enjoy the diversity of the country... but another American city, again? Really? The IOC needs to send the games elsewhere, Rio being the ideal choice!"

0955: Here's how the news wires are reporting Chicago's bid - and no surprises for guessing the Obamas are big, big news. "Led by President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, Chicago made a heartfelt and, at times, very personal plea for the 2016 Olympics," reported AP. Reuters opened their review of the bid with: "Chicago played its two trump cards on Friday, US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle both making impassioned speeches." And the AFPreport mused: "US President Barack Obama took a brief respite on Friday from a packed political agenda to visit Copenhagen on a mission to capture the 2016 Olympics for his cherished hometown of Chicago... he is taking somewhat of a political risk in putting his presidential prestige on the line."

Saltmartin on 606: "The emotional pull could be enough for Rio De Janerio and it would certainly be a spectacular venue for the games in a continent where it has never been. It all depends on their presentation though."

BBC sports news correspondent James Munro: "The Chicago bid really came alive when the Obamas came to the fore in their presentation - it is now a question of whether their impact is big enough to sway the IOC voters to their city."

BBC sports news correspondent James Pearce on Twitter:"Tokyo presenting at the moment. No way they can compete with the Obamas, even though they have Japanese Prime Minister here to argue their case."

0937: While Tokyo kick off their presentation then, a few Chicago bid facts for you. Their proposed budget is $4.8m, with $994m for construction and operation costs and a £2.5bn safety net in public and private funds. The Games will be based mainly around Lake Michigan in 31 venues, 15 of which already exist - most notably Soldier Field and the United Center. As an aside, Chicago residents buy 8m tickets to sporting events each year.

MarkE, Stevenage via text on 81111: "Just recalling how unbearable the tension was at decision time four years ago - only now do you begin to feel for the three losing bid cities. I'm hoping for a Madrid surprise victory, they had most votes at Round two of voting last time around but lost a lot of ground to us after New York went out."

Steveo77 on 606: "Chicago v Rio de Janeiro is the real contest with the Obama factor likely to swing it in favour of the Americans."

0926: Chicago entered today slight favourites to win the 2016 Games, lest we forget - although many will concede this year's race is just too close to call. As well as the Obamas' presence, the likes of basketball legend Michael Jordan, TV talk show host Proah Winfrey and secretary of state Hillary Clinton have all lent their support - and as shown by Tony Blair's influence in 2005 and Vladimir Putin's in 2007, personalities can be absolutely crucial to a bid team's success.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kiwis defeat England to win group

Image
England fell to a four-wicket defeat as New Zealand reached the Champions Trophy semi-finals by winning Group B. Already into the last four, England were put in on a pitch sharply varying in bounce and were 95-7 after 27 overs. Paul Collingwood hit three sixes in 40 but Grant Elliott took 4-31 as England were all out for 146 in Johannesburg. After Brendon McCullum's 48 in 39 balls the Kiwis lost five for 27 in eight overs as Stuart Broad claimed 4-39, but battled home with almost 23 overs left. It was a determined display from the unfancied Kiwis, and it meant that two of the favoured sides, Sri Lanka and hosts South Africa, both failed to survive the group stages. There were all manner of permutations when New Zealand began their reply at the Wanderers, getting to 139 but still losing being good enough to see them qualify, while winning in 44.3 overs would seal the group on net run-rate. Blazing 75-0 after 11 overs rendered much of the maths irrelevant, with Broad finding his rhyt...
Read more

Jet plot 'vindicates' UK security

Image
The "courage" of British authorities in persisting with the prosecution of the airline bomb plotters has been praised. The verdicts were a vindication of Britain's intelligence efforts, former security minister Tony McNulty said. On Monday, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, Tanvir Hussain, 28, and Assad Sarwar, 29, were convicted of conspiring to activate bombs disguised as drinks. The convictions followed two trials and an operation which cost more than £35m and strained UK-US relations at times. The arrests in August 2006 caused chaos to international aviation and prompted the current restrictions on liquids. Wave of attacks Security officials on both sides of the Atlantic believe the men wanted to kill thousands in the air and possibly more on the ground in a wave of attacks causing more devastation - and political fall-out - than the 11 September attacks. It has emerged that the MI5 surveillance on the terror cell was being followed at the very top of American politics. UK intel...
Read more

Space clown' ready for blast-off

Image
Space tourist and circus entrepreneur Guy Laliberte is set to begin his journey to orbit. The Canadian billionaire will sit in the right-hand seat of the Soyuz craft which blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS). Mr Laliberte has described his flight as a "poetic social mission". He says he will make the ISS astronauts laugh during his 12-day stay, and produce a web event that highlights the issue of clean water for all. He is accompanied in the Soyuz TM-16 spacecraft by Russian cosmonaut Maksim Surayev and US astronaut Jeffrey Williams. Lift-off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is timed for 0714 GMT. The three-man crew is expected to arrive at the ISS on Friday. Mr Laliberte was a street performer when he founded the Cirque du Soleil theatrical company in 1984. The enterprise has since become an international brand. The success has brought Mr Laliberte immense wealth, enabling him to buy the reported $35m ticket to go to the orbiting platform. The Canad...
Read more