The insidethegames.biz Magazine The world’s leading source of independent news and information about the Olympic Movement.
Autumn Edition 2017
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Photos : Jean-Baptiste Gurliat
CITY OF
READY FOR 2024
Contents
Published: August 2017 by Dunsar Media Editor: Duncan Mackay Magazine Editor: Daniel Palmer Managing Director: Sarah Bowron Business Development Lisa Burton Design: Elliot Willis Willis Design Associates Pictures: Getty Images Staff headshots: Karen Kodish Print: www.csfprint.com Dunsar Media Company Limited C222 MK:TWO Business Centres 1-9 Barton Road Bletchley Milton Keynes MK2 3HU Great Britain +44 1908 821239 contact@insidethegames.biz www.insidethegames.biz No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the publisher.
Introduction
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Is Olympic bidding dead?
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The Battle of the Mayors
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Judgement day
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Out of Africa
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Duncan Mackay David Owen Nick Butler
Philip Barker
Duncan Mackay
He’s had his Phil 26 Mike Rowbottom
The runners and riders 31 Liam Morgan
I want to ride The Bicycle 32 Michael Pavitt
Wrestling’s Greatest Grapple 36 Mike Rowbottom
And the winner is - everyone! 40 Mike Rowbottom
Data is published in good faith and is the best information possessed by Dunsar Media Company Limited at the stated date of publication. The publisher cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions, however caused. Errors brought to the attention of the publisher and verified to the satisfaction of the publisher will be corrected in future editions, if any. © and Database Right 2017 Dunsar Media Company Limited All rights reserved.
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DUNCAN MACKAY EDITOR, INSIDETHEGAMES
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t the start of the year, when we first began planning this special edition of the insidethegames magazine for the International Olympic Committee Session in Lima, we thought it would be the exciting climax of a long campaign to host the 2024 Games. Back then, Paris were the favourites but Los Angeles seemed to be gaining ground on them, while Budapest were the outsiders who hoped hosting the FINA World Aquatics Championships and International Judo Federation World Championships in the weeks leading up to the final vote could help them spring a surprise. Budapest have long since disappeared from the campaign, the third of the five cities who begun this race back in September 2015 to withdraw, joining Hamburg and Rome in bowing to pressure from local citizens. Along with Budapest, any suspense has long since evaporated from one of the strangest bid races in Olympic history. We now know that by the time the IOC Session begins in Lima on September 13 a deal will have been cut between Paris and Los Angeles to decide which city will host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and which one 2028. After the IOC’s 130th Extraordinary Session in Lausanne in July, everything seems to point to Paris going first and Los Angeles second four years later. Indeed, by the time you read this, it may already have all been sorted out. Whether you agree with the arrangement or not, you cannot deny that IOC President Thomas Bach has played a blinder. He has turned what at one point appeared potentially a catastrophic situation into a public relations triumph.
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The sight of him celebrating with the Mayors of Paris and Los Angeles on the podium in the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne after the proposal was officially passed, him in the middle holding the hands aloft of Eric Garcetti and Anne Hidalgo, will remain the Olympic image of 2017. The fact that only two cities left in the race at this stage seemed to show that Bach’s own much-vaunted Agenda 2020 had failed so spectacularly to encourage more bidders for the Olympics was something heavily glossed over. With new guidelines also introduced for the campaign for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, we seem to have witnessed a turning point in how bidding will take place in the future. When even Mike Lee, a man whose reputation has been built on managing successful Olympic bids, says publicly 2024 will be his last campaign, you fear the game is up. insidethegames’ chief columnist David Owen examines the future. LA Mayor Garcetti has admitted publicly on several occasions that the arcane world of the Olympic Movement has been a political education even for him. His Paris counterpart, Hidalgo, has also expressed, privately, that she has never been involved in a campaign quite like this. It could stand both in good stead for the coming years as both are expected to one-day plot courses to try to become Presidents of the United States and France. It will be interesting to see if they apply any lessons learnt from the Olympics to their campaigns. For those who like their elections a bit less sanitised than what we expect in Lima, then the International Cycling Union would seem to be the place to be. Brian Cookson won a bitter election four years ago, beating Irishman Pat McQuaid, and will face his own opponent in Bergen on September 21. The UCI’s French vice-president David Lappartient is standing against the Briton. Expect it to get increasingly fractious as D-day approaches.
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Things will, on the surface, be slightly more genteel over at the International Paralympic Committee where they are choosing their first new President for 16 years as Sir Philip Craven is being forced to step down having completed his term limit. There are four candidates standing and there is no clear overwhelming favourite. That should make it a fascinating contest. Going back to the race for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Bach perhaps panicked unnecessarily at fearing there would not be any bidders for the 2028 Olympics. At least he did if the lesson of the Commonwealth Games is anything to go by. They seemed to be facing a disastrous situation in March when Durban were stripped of the 2022 Commonwealth Games after failing to meet a series of financial deadlines. Even the Commonwealth Games Federation were shocked at the number of cities who put themselves forward and expressed interest in taking over. Some of the cities have since fallen away but they still have Birmingham and Liverpool in England, Victoria in Canada and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia who are serious contenders. Then there is Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia prepared to act as a back-up if all else fails. insidethegames will have reporters on the scene at all these key decisions. But you would expect nothing else from your favourite publication. We don’t have to claim we are first with breaking stories because you all know we are. Our excellence was rewarded in June at the British Sport Business Awards when we were named as winners of the Best in Sports Media. Among those we beat was the Olympic Channel and Sky Sports.
Duncan Mackay Editor
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Is Olympic bidding
dead?
With the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics due to be awarded together, the traditional bidding race could be consigned to the past. David Owen asks if things will ever be the same again.
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any forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No-one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” - Winston Churchill, November 11, 1947. “Honoured to be working with Paris 2024 on what I plan to be my last Olympic bid campaign.” - Mike Lee, June 8, 2017. Has International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach killed Olympic bidding as we know it once and for all? It is tempting to think so, given the strange end-of-era atmosphere prevailing at the 130th IOC Session in Lausanne in July. It may become even more tempting after the 131st such Session in Lima in September, when the final i’s should be dotted and t’s crossed for the planned double award, to Paris and Los Angeles respectively and more than likely in that order, of the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games. One might also be forgiven for thinking that Vero’s Olympic bid expert Mike Lee’s recent Twitter announcement that he expects the current Paris 2024 campaign to be his last Olympic bid might have something to do with this changed climate.
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What Lee actually says is: “it is always important in life to seek new challenges. We in Vero work across the business of sport. I am looking forward to my last Olympic bid being a winning one.” The question is important enough to merit further analysis. This ought probably to begin with a consideration of why the IOC leadership decided to embark on such a fundamental change in its traditional process in the middle of the 2024 race. After all, you would think it would be much easier for the IOC to negotiate an advantageous deal with an eventual host-city if there is an element of competition between rival bidders. Yet by proposing to share two editions of the Games between the two remaining candidates in the 2024 race, the Lausanne-based body has seemingly eliminated it. What is beyond dispute is that the basic narrative surrounding bid races has fundamentally changed in recent times. What it used to be was a selection of the great cities of the world - London, Paris, Madrid, New York, Moscow, Leipzig, Havana, Rio de Janeiro and Istanbul - to give the example of the competition for the 2012 Games - vying to link their names with the greatest show in sport.
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What it has become now, at worst, is a two-year gauntlet of toxic publicity for the IOC, on grounds of perceived extravagance, hassle for local inhabitants and citizen campaigns along the lines of “We would rather spend the money it would cost to lay on the Games on new hospitals”. The extent to which one regards this as permanent depends in part on the extent to which one regards prolonged economic stagnation in the West as the root cause. However painful, this presumably is a temporary phenomenon. The alternative thesis is that social media is making it easier to marshal and mobilise opposition to mega-projects, deterring cities from throwing, or keeping, their hats in the ring, even if the views expressed are not held by a majority of those who stand to be directly affected. Bach made it clear in Lausanne which of these views he espouses. “There is profound change in the decision-making process in many Western countries,” he told his IOC colleagues on July 11. “In the past, when we saw that a candidature enjoyed the support of the Government, of the opposition, of
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business and of the sport community, then we were sure that the candidature had broad public support. This has changed dramatically, in particular in Europe. “Today, when…the entire establishment is united behind one project, then the people immediately have mistrust and conclude that something must be terribly wrong. “In many countries, populist movements are on the rise. These populist movements can be very effective, even if they might still be too small to run a Government. But they have a strong influence over policy and political decision-making… “We may not like this new political reality, but we cannot ignore it.” The IOC President also acknowledged that “we have given some arguments to this public scepticism and mistrust” and asked “too much too soon from the Candidate Cities”. In this climate, the bid process ensures bad publicity for the IOC even in the best of circumstances. Should instances of corruption or perceived extravagance surface, or heaven forbid some Salt Lake City scandal sequel, there is the potential for this bad
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Main: Has Thomas Bach and the IOC killed off Olympic bidding? Photo: Getty Images Top: Celebratory scenes after host city announcements could be a thing of the past. Photo: Getty Images Below: Atlanta 1996 was the last Summer Olympics in the United States, a market which cannot be ignored. Photo: Getty Images
publicity to become even worse. That, if you like, is the big picture. My firm impression is that certain internal factors are also very likely helping to colour the IOC leadership’s attitude. One such factor, I believe, is the inherent unpredictability of the democratic process – if it is not too much of a stretch to
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DAVID OWEN CHIEF COLUMNIST, INSIDETHEGAMES
Almaty nearly shocked Beijing in the 2022 Winter Olympic race. Photo: Getty Images
describe deliberations of a private, 95-member club as “democratic”. I think the IOC leadership was genuinely shocked at how close the minnow Almaty came to upsetting Beijing’s all-conquering apple-cart in what may turn out to be the sole traditional-style host-city vote of the entire Bach era – the one for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Kazakhstan underdog lost by just four votes - 44-40 - and this after problems with the “integrity” of the electronic voting system, which led Bach to request that a written ballot be used instead. An Almaty win would have had significant financial implications, not least because of the size of the two candidates’ respective markets for domestic sponsorship. In spite of this July surprise in Kuala Lumpur, I think Bach would be prepared to
Anti-Olympic protests have led to negative media for the IOC. Photo: Getty Images
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live with democratic uncertainty if bid battles were continuing to burnish the IOC’s image as they did for a quarter of a century from the mid-1980s. It seems to me that there is another rather helpful spin-off from a move to a more micro-managed, technocrat-led host city selection process: this is that it removes the need for a US candidate to win a direct city-versus-city vote among IOC members, something that has proved beyond US Summer Games contenders since Atlanta secured the 1996 Games. Such is the commercial importance of the vast US market that an interval of 24 years and counting between US-based Summer Games was starting to become a touch problematic. Are we then to look back on the 2013 IOC Session in Buenos Aires - at which votes were held for the 2020 Summer Olympics, on Olympic sports and on the IOC Presidency itself - as the high-water mark of IOC members’ democratic influence? Perhaps - yet there are reasons why I persist, stubbornly, in thinking that it may be premature to write the Olympic bid battle’s obituary. If economic - and therefore temporary factors do turn out to have been the major @insidethegames
factor in transforming the narrative, and if resurgent growth restores cities’ appetite for challenge, then it would be churlish, surely, for the IOC to turn a deaf ear. The old system, after all, served it pretty well for decades. Not only was there the glitz and renown it bestowed on the Movement, but the membership demonstrated repeatedly that they had the collective wisdom to make good choices. Looking back, the Games went notably to Beijing in 2008 to Sydney in 2000 and to Barcelona in 1992 at just the right moment. Members were also hard-headed enough to reject the sentimental appeal of Athens in 1996. Only recently with Sochi (arguably), Rio and Pyeongchang has the voting process made choices that many would regard as questionable. And actually, the big lesson of Rio, surely, is that there is an argument, especially with sporting infrastructure spend being pruned significantly, for the interval between awarding the Games and staging them to be cut from the standard seven years, never mind increased to 11. The IOC’s defensive and risk-averse reaction to the irruption of social media into various political processes seems a shorttermist approach to a phenomenon that is transforming the way the world works before our eyes. Better in the long run if the body can tailor its message to the new media and new
New French President Emmanuel Macron could be a game-changer in global and sporting politics. Photo: Getty Images
ideas at the root of the current changes and endeavour to inspire some of the critics who are making its life difficult. Until recently, you might have been forgiven for thinking that it was next to impossible to channel the destructive power of social media in this way. But then came a political earthquake in one of the oldest European democracies wrought by a man
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Rome was one of five cities to drop out of the 2024 bidding race, leaving just two contenders. Photo: Getty Images
whose bold plan, brilliantly executed, has lifted the whole continent’s spirits. This man is, of course, Emmanuel Macron, the new French President, and someone whose political trajectory Bach is about to hitch his Olympic wagon to. If Macron, whose star admittedly might blaze brightly but briefly, can win over enough disgruntled keyboard warriors to transform French politics at lightning pace, then perhaps his people can help the IOC to achieve something similar. If bid races are not going to keep the Olympic brand in the public eye in between Olympic Games, something else needs to. The IOC
A presentation during Istanbul’s 2020 bid. Photo: Getty Images
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hopes this “something else” will be the Olympic Channel. Should it eventually accomplish this goal, then the temptation to bring back bidding when good times return could be correspondingly less - but it seems a long way from achieving this at present. The hiatus in bidding will seriously rein in the power of ordinary IOC members. It follows that a promise to restore these powers could be a potent campaigning weapon for a candidate running for the IOC presidency, either in 2021, or more likely 2025. Of course, Bach and close colleagues may have reformed the IOC membership almost beyond recognition by then. But unless the plan is for future IOC Presidents also to be chosen by technocrats, this may yet be a factor in encouraging reversion to a more traditional bid race finale for 2032. Let us finally suppose that a German candidate emerges for those 2032 Summer Games, which is possible if Paris gets 2024. This award is due in 2025 - Bach’s last year as President assuming that he serves two terms. Now I would not suggest for one moment that the current President would do anything improper to bolster his compatriots’ prospects. But equally, would IOC members really be happy to accept a process in these circumstances that did not culminate with a formal vote enabling them to express a preference between all leading candidates? So, I am not prepared just yet to kiss goodbye once and for all to the quirky, creaking, beleaguered vote-driven Olympic host city selection system. After all, as a far more storied authority on decision-making mechanisms once observed, democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.
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T The Battle of the Mayors
Anne Hidalgo and Eric Garcetti’s future plans are a fascinating subplot to the Olympic race. Photo: Getty Images
Eric Garcetti and Anne Hidalgo are shining lights of Los Angeles and Paris’ respective bids for the 2024 and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Nick Butler explores how each could be using sport as a means towards their ultimate goal of the United States and French Presidency. 12
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he two figures at the forefront of Los Angeles and Paris’ respective 2024 and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic bids have loftier ambitions and could one day be Presidents of the United States and France. Eric Garcetti and Anne Hidalgo are two dynamic Mayors turned campaigners-in-chief. But could the Olympics be a springboard towards leading their respective countries in seven or 11-years-time? The Games are often trumpeted as a means to raise the profile of a particular country or city. What is less talked about is how sport’s biggest event can also boost the profile of key individuals associated with its success. Peter Ueberroth’s pioneering of a new Olympic model at Los Angeles 1984 kick-started a career as Major League Baseball Commissioner. Sebastian Coe’s more recent success as chairman of the London 2012 Bid and Organising Committee helped relaunch his reputation in sports administration, culminating in him assuming the International Association of Athletics Federations Presidency in 2015. Garcetti and Hidalgo have their eyes on even bigger jobs and association with a successful Olympic Games is a key stepping stone.
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Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Garcetti began his political career after completing a PhD in ethnicity and nationalism at the London School of Economics. After six years as President of the City Council, he was elected as the Californian city’s first Jewish and second Mexican-American Mayor in 2013. A Democrat, he swiftly gained a reputation as a distinctly modern politician, as adept at addressing the general public as he was fellow officials. A teenager during Los Angeles 1984, Garcetti identified sport as one way to underline his “in touch” credentials. “There are two rules in politics - never be pictured with a drink in your hand, and never swear,” he told an already raucous crowd while clutching an empty bottle of Bud Light after the Los Angeles Kings won the 2014 Stanley Cup. “But this is a big f****** day.” Rehearsed it may have been, but the line certainly went down well with celebrating Angelinos. Garcetti, to his credit, also stood firm when faced with inevitable criticism of his “offensive” comments. “It was hockey; it wasn’t a match of lawn bowls,” he said. This fits with the figure we have seen spearheading Los Angeles’ campaign over the last two years.
Eric Garcetti caused a stir with his comments following Los Angeles Kings’ Stanley Cup win. Photo: Getty Images
It was his support which helped get the initial bid off the ground in 2014 and, if the rumourmill is to be believed, figures within his office were influential in destabilising the Boston bid mistakenly selected by the United States Olympic Committee in January 2015. Los Angeles stepped in after Boston was dropped amid soaring opposition six months later. I was impressed when speaking to Garcetti for www.facebook.com/insidethegames
Could Eric Garcetti be looking to follow in the footsteps of US President Donald Trump? Photo: Getty Images
the first time at the Association of National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Washington D.C. later that year as a lot of the “interview” consisted of him grilling us about what they should and should not do. The following day, aware of disappointment at the absence of any member of the Barack Obama administration, he helped engineer an impromptu appearance from Vice-President Joe Biden. I question the spontaneity of some of his actions. His decision to parade around the lobby at April’s SportAccord Convention in Aarhus wearing a Russian Olympic tracksuit supposedly given to him as a gift by IOC honorary member Vitaly Smirnov was certainly not. Nor was a tearjerkingly emotional monologue about how excited he would be for his children to grow up with a Los Angeles Olympics in response to a virtually unrelated final question during May’s Evaluation Commission inspection. But his charm and charisma invariably prevail and he has an ability, lacked by many other politicians, to make you feel as if he is genuinely interested in what you have to say. “We’re a young city, full of fresh, new ideas,” Garcetti declared when presenting during April’s Association of Summer Olympic International Federations General Assembly. “We’re the face of the world today, and of our country tomorrow.” He then donned special SnapChat glasses to demonstrate his city’s technological prowess before effortlessly quoting Grease and Terminator 2 when answering questions. It was impressive stuff and sporting officials were just as impressed as watching journalists. IOC members frequently speak of him as a “rock @insidethegames
star” and some felt particularly honoured that he managed to fit in a few campaigning stops during a family holiday in the Caribbean earlier this year. Hidalgo, though, inspires equally warm praise. Born in San Fernando near Cádiz in Spain in 1959, Hidalgo’s family relocated to Lyon before she acquired French citizenship aged 14. After completing a Master of Advanced Studies in social and trade unionism at Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, she began a 13-year Civil Service career which included a stint based at the International Labour Office in Geneva.
Anne Hidalgo was initially lukewarm to the Olympic project. Photo: Getty Images
She began to climb the Parisian political ladder in the late 1990s and, after serving another 13 years as Deputy Mayor, was elected as the capital’s first female Mayor in 2014. It marked a rare success for the Socialist Party during those elections and she immediately became a new darling of the French left. It is easy to forget that Hidalgo was initially opposed to the idea of a Paris Olympic bid.
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This, apparently, stemmed from how she was the most senior figure left in the capital in 2005 to deal with the fallout after they lost to London in their bid for the 2012 edition. Another bid would inevitably be expensive and other issues - such as housing, justice and the economy - seemed more important. After declaring herself “not really favourable” during her campaign, Hidalgo remained uneasy even when French President François Hollande announced his support, warning about taking “hasty decisions under the thrill of emotion”. A favourable economic report published in February 2015 gradually turned the tide. Bid leader Bernard Lapasset recalls how he realised he had won her round when she addressed him warmly as “Bernard” rather than “Mr Lapasset” at one meeting. The bid was formally launched in April and Hidalgo has been an unswerving advocate ever since. After being barred from attending the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer as the International Olympic Committee embarked on one of their more draconian campaign restrictions, Hidalgo emerged as the spiritual epicentre of a very different French effort centred around many of her key priorities. “It is clear that the greatest challenge of our century is that of climate change,” she proclaimed during the 2016 ANOC General Assembly in Doha. “Human life and our planet itself depend on our ability to meet this challenge. It is an absolute emergency and there is no more place for scepticism. It is up to us to accept the climate challenge on behalf of our children. The Games are the engine, and Paris wants to be the catalyst.” Hidalgo is chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. Garcetti is also closely identified with environmental issues and is co-chair of a “Mayors National Climate Action Agenda”. Both criticised US President Donald Trump when he withdrew from the Paris Agreement this year. Both have also won plaudits for their language skills. Hidalgo has switched effortlessly between English, French and Spanish in speeches while Garcetti is fluent in Spanish. Yet Hidalgo cannot be accused of using the Olympics as a vanity project. She allowed co-bid leader Tony Estanguet to be the main speaker during the closing Evaluation Commission press conference. She also played a back-seat role behind new French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent Candidate City Briefing in Lausanne. www.facebook.com/insidethegames
Eric Garcetti and Anne Hidalgo celebrated the IOC’s joint-awarding plans for 2024 and 2028 together. Photo: Getty Images
Garcetti, conversely, is the clear figurehead of the LA bid. Another difference between the two is that while Hidalgo has been keen to avoid offending the Olympic world in any way during her public utterances, Garcetti has appeared slightly less bothered. His suggestion for meetings with the IOC to be conducted publicly did not go down too well among the mandarins of Lausanne. Nor did his more recent call for Los Angeles to receive youth sport funding from the IOC in return for a 2028 bid. This has been criticised publicly, even if some officials privately concede that they may have to make some sort of concession. So what chance of either ultimately becoming President? When discussing this in April, we concluded that Hidalgo had a more immediate prospect and thus more to “lose” in the Olympic race than Garcetti. But the arrival of Macron has changed the goalposts. As it stands, the charismatic new leader is considered a shoo-in to retain the Presidency in 2022. Hidalgo’s Socialist Party performed so disastrously during the elections, with Benoît Hamon receiving a meagre 6.36 per cent of the first-round vote, that they are dwindling as an effective political force. Hidalgo has been spoken about as a possible figurehead for a new left-wing organisation, but nothing has so far been set-up, and the left currently seems ill-prepared for a successful bid. Then again, Macron is currently basking in his honeymoon period and it is far too early to predict a second term victory. Hidalgo need only glance northwards at Great Britain for an example of a left-wing recovery and the rapid decline of a once popular leader. @insidethegames
Conventional wisdom suggests that it is far too early for Garcetti. He was re-elected for a second Mayoral term earlier this year with 81 per cent of the vote, albeit without any meaningful opposition. But no Mayor has ever walked directly into the Presidency. Andrew Johnson in 1865, Grover Cleveland in 1885 and Calvin Coolidge in 1923 are three Mayors turned Presidents, but all three first served as a State Governor. Garcetti was duly expected to do the same, or potentially make a bid for the Senate, before targeting the top job. And yet…the success of Donald Trump has ripped up the rulebook and long-held assumptions are no longer guaranteed. Could Garcetti be the galvanising force to unite the Democrat Party in 2020? A bid is certainly a possibility. This was suggested by Garcetti choosing to speak at a Democrat Party gathering in Wisconsin last month; a swing state neglected by Hillary Clinton when she lost to Trump last year. Boston Mayor and former bidding rival Marty Walsh is among those to have implied support. “Somebody with a background like Garcetti in the corner office, I’d be very comfortable with,” he said. “I think he’d be a very interesting candidate.” In this light, securing an LA Olympics in either 2024 or 2028 would be vital. He cannot afford to be seen as a “loser” and, as such, may be persuaded to press the IOC harder for some sort of public concession. Hidalgo, conversely, may be prepared to sit tight and enjoy the success of a centenary Games during a second Mayoral term before reassessing her options in 2026. This is a fascinating subplot to discussions over the next few weeks.
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The opening of the envelope revealing the winning bid in an Olympic race is one of sport’s most exciting moments. Photo: Getty Images
Judgement day Paris and Los Angeles could both be awarded an Olympic Games at September’s IOC Session in Lima. Philip Barker looks back at other decision days from throughout history. 16
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he most important function of the International Olympic Committee Session in Lima is listed in very matter of fact fashion in rule 18 of the Olympic Charter. “To elect the host city of the Olympic Games”. When the golden envelope is opened, it is the signal for unbounded delight, usually from one city. This year, there is a distinct possibility both candidates, Los Angeles and
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Paris, will be celebrating as IOC President Thomas Bach has suggested the host cities for 2024 and 2028 will be named together. What may happen in Peru’s capital on September 13 seems unprecedented but successive hosts have been chosen at the same time before. French nobleman Baron Pierre de Coubertin arranged the first gathering of what was to become the IOC in 1894, to
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determine “under what circumstances could the Olympic Games be restored?’’ An impressive location in Paris was deliberately chosen, the Sorbonne. This was “to show that something more important than an ordinary sporting conference was intended”. Coubertin insisted that the meeting take place there. Proceedings began with a performance of the newly rediscovered Hymn to Apollo. “The effect was enthralling,” Coubertin said. “Hellenism infiltrated the vast hall. From this moment the Congress was destined to succeed.” Agreement was quickly reached to revive the Ancient Olympics. Coubertin wanted Paris to be the first hosts, but at the suggestion of Dimitrios Vikelas, a Greek who lived in Paris, Athens was chosen as host city for 1896 “to the accompaniment of wild applause’’. Paris was awarded the 1900 Games at the same time. Ever since, the IOC have usually met at least once annually, except during wartime. Coubertin made sure Sessions were always a spectacle. Delegates in 1894 were treated to foot races and fencing bouts on an illuminated lawn, a procession of cyclists and a grand closing banquet in the Jardin d’Acclimatation. After the horrors of the First World War, the 1920 Games were held in Antwerp. The following year, the IOC Session met in Lausanne. Coubertin had sent members a circular expressing his wishes that Paris and Amsterdam be allocated successive Games in 1924 and 1928. He then sat back as Dr Jiri Guth Jarkovsky, the IOC member in Bohemia, endorsed this plan, asking “that the terms of this letter be adopted without discussion”. Coubertin himself wrote that “with regard to Paris everyone was in agreement and it would have been the same for Amsterdam but a bout of bad temper had broken out in Italy”.
French football icon Zinedine Zidane backed the failed Paris 2008 bid. Photo: Getty Images
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Los Angeles last hosted the Olympic Games in 1984. Photo: Getty Images
The Italian member Carlo Montu was among those who had objected to the Dutch Games. Coubertin had his way but the Olympic Movement was changing. While votes on the host cities, the election of the President and new members were still put to the full Session, an Executive Committee - now known as the Executive Board - was formed to meet more regularly and prepare the ground. The 1923 IOC Session in Rome was “a vivid and lasting memory”. Members were received in the spectacular Capitol in the Italian city which was festooned with Olympic flags. They visited the Vatican. Pope Pius XI assured the IOC “of his friendly interest in Olympism”. There was also a spectacular dinner above the ruins of the Palace of the Caesars, which was illuminated for the occasion. The American William Garland spoke on behalf of Los Angeles and brought news that the Memorial Coliseum was nearing completion. Members voted unanimously to give them the 1932 Olympics to the delight of Coubertin. “I was determined to commit the future beyond the present horizons,” he said. “The time had really come to show some gratitude @insidethegames
to the sporting youth of the United States for its always brilliant and numerous participation in the Games.” Despite serious economic difficulties, the 1932 Games were a tremendous success and Los Angeles made it clear they were keen to repeat the experience. They were candidates throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s when multiple bids were permitted from the
Tokyo 2020 officials celebrate after the Japanese capital’s win. Photo: Getty Images
same country. The rules later changed and the Californian city unsuccessfully bid as the nominated American candidate for 1976 and 1980.
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PHILIP BARKER HISTORIAN, INSIDETHEGAMES
Casey Wasserman and Eric Garcetti have spearheaded the Los Angeles 2024 bid. Photo: Getty Images
In 1978 the Session in Athens voted on the destiny of the 1984 Games. The smiles among members flown to Olympia to see the site of the Ancient Olympics hid anxieties over the future. IOC President Lord Killanin referred to “political incidents’’ and “massive capital expenditure” as a reason why Los Angeles were the only candidates. They refused to commit to state or public funding. When their bid questionnaire was presented to the IOC, there was “considerable concern that the proposed answers appeared to usurp the authority of the IOC”. When Killanin announced the result in the lobby of the Session hotel, it was a far cry from the dramatic television event we see today. “The Games are provisionally awarded to Los Angeles subject to the city entering into a contract in accordance with the Olympic rules,” he said. Killanin had admitted even before the decision was taken that Los Angeles “would have started favourite in view of the fact they have made two very good bids in the past”. The announcement also warned that if no agreement was reached by July 31, 1978 the provisional award would “be withdrawn and new applications called for”. Los Angeles returned to the table with a proposal “in conformity with the Olympic charter”. Killanin insisted “it could only be final if the IOC members ratified it by a postal vote”. Seventy-five members duly voted in favour. It was the final time that a www.facebook.com/insidethegames
host city was formally chosen in this way, but for all the misgivings, Los Angeles 1984 proved to be an outstanding success. As a result there were 13 cities bidding for the 1992 Games when the IOC gathered in October 1986 at Lausanne’s Palais de Beaulieu. It was the last time the Summer and Winter Games would be elected at the same Session. Thereafter they would be staged on separate cycles. The Session was dominated by a bidding frenzy under a media spotlight as never
before. Paris bid for the Summer Games but it was the French Winter resort of Albertville which came away happier. IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch did not vote but announced that Barcelona had beaten the French capital. The 2001 Session in Moscow had two big elections. The Parisians bid for the 2008 Olympics and even took football icon Zinedine Zidane along as part of their team. They faced challenges from four other cities but were again disappointed by the announcement. This time Samaranch read out the name of Beijing. It was the last time he would do so after 21 years at the helm. The man destined to succeed him was Jacques Rogge, who beat off four rivals in the biggest Presidential race since 1925. A new man to announce the result made no difference for Paris. At the 2005 Session in Singapore, many considered the French to be the favourites from five candidates for 2012. They made it to the final round. IOC members used a push button gadget to vote and went instead for London. That left David Beckham to celebrate with Sir Steve Redgrave as music from Victory at Agincourt by Sir William Walton rang through the hall. Now Lima is in the spotlight. It will be the third South American city to stage a Session in the last four years and the second, after Buenos Aires in 2013, at which an Olympic host city will be announced.
Tony Estanguet has been a prominent face in the Paris 2024 campaign. Photo: Getty Images
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Out of Africa
Durban celebrate winning the 2022 Commonwealth Games – but the joy turned to despair. Photo: Getty Images
Durban won the 2022 Commonwealth Games unopposed but were stripped of the honour in acrimonious circumstances. With fears for the event’s future, a number of cities stepped in to save the day. Duncan Mackay reports.
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nly a few months ago the entire future of the Commonwealth Games appeared in danger after Durban were stripped of the 2022 edition of the event. Many people predicted it would be a struggle to find a new city willing to take on the Games at such short notice and newspaper columnists dismissed it as an irrelevant relic from the British Empire which no-one cared about any longer. Then something unexpected happened.
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Instead of the Commonwealth Games Federation having to go cap in hand for someone to stage their event, they began to be overwhelmed by cities offering to step in. Liverpool, Birmingham, Perth, Toronto, Singapore, New Delhi, London, Sydney, Manchester...the list just kept on growing. From facing the greatest crisis in the organisation’s 85-year history, the CGF were suddenly presented with a great opportunity to secure the Games’ immediate future, especially as bidders are also already lining up for 2026. The interest took everyone by surprise because when the 2022 Games had first been awarded two years ago, Durban were the only bidder. Edmonton in Canada had initially bid but withdrew halfway through because of the worldwide crash in oil prices. The truncated bid process, far less onerous than previously, seemed to appeal to cities who saw an opportunity to be awarded an event which still enjoys healthy television viewing figures in its core markets like Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand. England were quickly installed as the clear
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favourites to replace South Africa as the hosts in 2022, especially after an announcement from the Department for Digital Culture, Media & Sport that the UK Government wanted to back a bid from a British city. If England hosted the Games in 2022 it would be the centrepiece of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Some Government officials also see it as an opportunity to try to help boost trade links with countries like Australia and India post-Brexit. Birmingham, Liverpool, London and Manchester all quickly made it clear it was an event they would be interested in staging. In the end, London dropped out but Birmingham remain. They are being challenged by Liverpool, whose bid is receiving help from Manchester, who would provide facilities for cricket and track cycling. Both had already expressed interest in hosting in 2026, and just two months after the Government confirmed it would bid for the 2022 Games, the two cities had submitted their official applications to be the UK’s entry. “It was an opportunity too good
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DUNCAN MACKAY EDITOR, INSIDETHEGAMES to miss to be frank,” said Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson. Last month a 15-strong panel from the Department for DCMS visited Liverpool to assess its bid. The Liverpool Echo newspaper welcomed the judges with a front-page letter urging them to choose the city. “Birmingham?” it read. “As the Capital of HS2, and so close to the gold-paved streets of London, they don’t need any further help.” The successful city from Britain to be put forward is due to be chosen by the Culture Secretary Karen Bradley this autumn and the final host will be selected by the CGF by the end of the year. Birmingham’s bid makes much of its pre-existing facilities, of which there are many. It would refurbish the Alexander Stadium, currently the home of UK Athletics, expanding its permanent seating capacity to up to 40,000 for the Games. It stresses its track record of hosting large international sporting events, including The Ashes at Edgbaston, Rugby World Cup fixtures at Villa Park and Diamond League meetings at Alexander Stadium. The city insists that it is 95 per cent ready to host the Commonwealth Games. The five per cent includes a new Olympicsize swimming pool, something Sport England has identified as being needed in the Birmingham area. It has already been earmarked for Sandwell, located just seven miles outside the city centre.
Birmingham’s proposal centres on Alexander Stadium. Photo: Birmingham 2022
Liverpool’s proposal centres on continuing the regeneration of its docks. Those behind the bid envisage the famous Pier Head providing as iconic a backdrop to the Games as was provided at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, when divers leapt in front of a panoramic view of the city. The bid includes the creation of a 50 metres pool, floating in one of Liverpool’s docks, which would stay in place after the Games had ended. The city would host the triple jump, long jump and pole vault in a adapted dry dock a stone’s throw away. As well as the pre-existing arena and convention centre, Anfield
Louise Martin’s Commonwealth Games Federation have no shortage of alternative hosts. Photo: Getty Images
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stadium and St George’s Hall, Everton’s soon-to-be-built new stadium would house a temporary athletics track. The city would also make use of sister city Manchester’s Old Trafford Cricket Ground and its velodrome, home to British Cycling. Both Liverpool and Birmingham are proposing to build Athletes’ Villages, which would then become high quality housing. “Unusually, because of how Durban fell out, there is a limited time to prepare the facilities, so it is really, really important this time around - given what the Commonwealth Games Federation have gone through - that the bid is believable,” said Andy Street, the West Midlands Metro Mayor. “And our bid, with the huge majority of the facilities all in place, is eminently believable.” Liverpool insists they too are low cost and low risk. They say they are more than capable of delivering their plans in time pointing to their success as European Capital of Culture in 2008.
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Although they say their focus is on fulfilling the Government’s desire for a “low cost, low risk and high-quality Games”, Birmingham rejects the idea that their bid is not as bold and creative as Liverpool’s. “I think we’re being creative where it’s really appropriate and makes a difference,” said Street. “But we’re actually very credible where some of the basics have got to be provided.” “[Birmingham] might be able to say that they’ve got a safe box ticked in the Alexander Stadium, but what’s the legacy for that?” said Anderson. “At the end of the day, Liverpool’s legacy is going to be a brand new, fantastic stadium on the waterfront and that’s of huge importance.” Both cities claim that their history and multicultural populations make them ideal hosts for the Commonwealth’s official sporting event. The West Midlands is home to 300,000 people who were born in Commonwealth countries and has legitimate claims to being the most diverse city outside of London.
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Toronto had been tipped as a good host after a successful Pan American Games in 2015. Photo: Getty Images
“We are the youngest city in Europe, 40 per cent of our population is under the age of 25 and, of course, the Commonwealth Games aren’t just a celebration of sport and sporting excellence, it’s a celebration of youth,” said Ian Ward, Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, who is heading his city’s bid. Liverpool, on the other hand, was “the second city of the Empire”, said Anderson, and the city would hold the Games on the waterfront, once the hub for trade
“If I go anywhere in the world, the brand of Liverpool is recognised,” he added. “It’s a global brand, not just for The Beatles and Liverpool Football Club, but for our history. “People don’t have to ask where Liverpool is, though they may say, ‘Where’s Birmingham?’” Street, unsurprisingly, said the suggestion Birmingham is less well known internationally is “nonsense”. Birmingham, said Ward, is a city that has “always been reluctant to shout about its successes”. He added: “We’ve not made the most of what we do best in the past and think that hosting the Commonwealth Games is an opportunity to change that.” This, though, is not a one-country race. Out of the initial list of cities which claimed they might be prepared to step in
when the decision was taken in March by the CGF to strip Durban of the Commonwealth Games after they failed to meet a series of financial deadlines, several never took their interest any further. The most disappointing was Toronto, a city many believed could have done an excellent job after staging such a successful Pan American Games in 2015. But Victoria, the last Canadian city to host the Commonwealth Games, in 1994, have provided firm commitment of a bid. Their campaign is being headed by David Black, a businessman and owner of Canada’s largest private publisher, Black Press. Black claimed that Victoria would use the Games as an opportunity to improve sport
Liverpool’s bid is based around a thriving docks area. Photo: Liverpool 2022
facilities and build new housing in the city. He promised they would propose a practical and modest budget. The majority of funding would come from the Federal and Provincial Governments, with the rest generated from advertising, sponsorship and sales.
Manchester hosted in 2002 and its velodrome would be used if Liverpool win. Photo: Getty Images
with Britain’s colonies. “Liverpool’s Commonwealth past was based on negativity in terms of the slave trade,” he said. “This is an opportunity for us to engage with the 71 different countries [that take part in the Games] and provide new cultural links.” Despite being 100 miles apart, the Birmingham and Liverpool teams both claim their cities are ideally located in the centre of the country. “If you look at where we’re positioned on the west coast of the country, often people talk about Birmingham as being the centre of England, but actually Liverpool is the centre of the UK, in terms of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland,” Anderson said. www.facebook.com/insidethegames
Gold Coast hosting next year’s Games means Australia is an unlikely candidate for 2022. Photo: Getty Images
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DUNCAN MACKAY EDITOR, INSIDETHEGAMES
Kuala Lumpur has expressed interest after staging the 1998 event. Photo: Getty Images
“We have a lot of facilities in place, which we think reduces the capital costs,” Black said. “The contribution requirement for taxpayers will be quite small. But the legacy for Victoria will be tremendous, much higher than the last time around. “We’re in desperate need of a lot more housing in this community so all of this will help Victoria a lot.” When Victoria hosted the Games 23 years ago, 2,500 athletes from 63 countries and territories took part in 10 sports. At the last Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow in 2014, nearly 5,000 athletes from 71 countries and territories competed in 18 sports. “The Games have doubled in size and we think we have some creative ways to deliver the facilities that are required for a high-performance, multi-sport event,” Suzanne Weckend, who represented Canada in swimming at Victoria and who is helping this bid, said. Kuala Lumpur, which in 1998 followed Victoria as the host city of the Commonwealth Games, is another city with fond memories of the event and is interested in doing it again. “We also have all the facilities and stadiums to organise the Games,” said Tunku Imran, President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia. “We have the sports city in Bukit Jalil, which was built to organise the 16th edition of www.facebook.com/insidethegames
the Commonwealth Games in 1998.” The feeling remains, though, that the Malaysian Government may not be quite as keen as Tunku. A more realistic opportunity for them could be 2026. Several cities in Australia are also interested in replacing Durban if the opportunity presents itself. Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney have all contacted the CGF to put themselves forward. But, with Gold Coast due to host the next edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2018, the feeling is that something calamitous would need to happen with the bid process for them to be called upon. England would seem to present the CGF with the safest opportunity. The Government appear to be fully committed to backing it. A major royal celebration would give it focus. Since the turn of the new millennium Britain has an outstanding track record for delivering major events. The decision is a vital one for the CGF. Durban’s failure to fulfil its financial obligations has left a £3 million hole in its budget. For an organisation that lives hand-to-mouth, that is quite a significant figure. The interest in hosting the Commonwealth Games since Durban lost it, however, has demonstrated that the event still holds a place in people’s hearts.
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He’s had his Phil It’s all about fair play and principles and Sir Philip Craven calls it as he sees it as he reaches the end of 16 years as IPC President. Mike Rowbottom speaks to the outgoing head of the Paralympics.
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hen a new President of the International Paralympic Committee is elected on September 8 at the IPC Assembly in Abu Dhabi, Sir Philip Craven, who has filled that role since 2001, will be free of what he describes as an “eight-days-aweek job”.
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And how will he first enjoy that newfound freedom? Why, by returning to the IPC for another three months or so to oversee the transition of the new person at the helm… Craven may not be flavour of the month, or even the year, with the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. A passionately delivered announcement in Rio de Janeiro last year, just two days after the Olympic Opening Ceremony, suspended Russia from the Paralympic Movement until such time as its doping activity was proven to have ceased. This earned him whatever are the opposite of brownie points with the German. But you get a clear sense that the straighttalking 67-year-old former wheelchair basketball world champion from Bolton is still managing to soldier on somehow in a life that has been devoted to Paralympic sport, as a competitor and then administrator, for more than 45 years.
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There were many highly experienced, and dare one suggest highly sceptical, media representatives at that Rio press conference on August 7. But the manner in which Craven delivered the IPC’s ruling, insisting the Russian Government had “catastrophically failed” its Para-athletes, and adding that “their medals over morals mentality disgusts me”, caused a palpable shockwave in the room. Here, for once, amidst the vast swath of nonsensical news gatherings, was a press conference in which something difficult but important was being articulated by an international sports leader actually speaking from the heart. As he surveys his 16-year tenure of the IPC’s top job, does Craven believe that stand taken in Rio - which many regarded as brave - will come to define his Presidency? “I hope not,” he responds. “It wasn’t a question of bravery - I felt confident in saying
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what I did at that press conference because I knew I had the unanimous backing of my Board. They were all adamant that we should stick to our principles, the most important of which is the belief in fair play. “It had to be said. A line had to be drawn in the sand. But it wasn’t me saying it, it was the entire Board of the IPC. We also had great pro bono support from a brilliant team of solicitors. That decision had to be taken - we made the decision, we had to stick by it.” In recent weeks, some statements by prospective new candidates for his Presidency have hinted that the cost to the IPC, in terms of its relations with the IOC, and in terms of the disruption caused by the Russian suspension, may have been excessive. It has hinted at a change of mood, and perhaps even direction. Does Craven believe the cost of the IPC stance has been too great? “Not at all,” he responds. “I don’t think so. The Board has continued to show the same unanimity. At May’s Board meeting we registered that some progress had been made by Russia, but the ball is still in their court in terms of getting to the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympics next year. Words are easy to say - we need to see action. “We have a task-force that is working with the NPC of Russia on a road-map of how to go forward. But if it’s not achieved in time, there cannot be any change. “Relations between Mr Bach and myself have not been at their best. Although in effect the decision of the IOC was very similar to ours except in the fact of who had to deal with the situation, with the IOC deciding that was down to International Federations rather than the IOC itself. “I don’t think either body is saying this is something we can condone. “Maybe the fact that I announced our position just a couple of days before the start of the Olympic Games in Rio wasn’t best appreciated by the IOC. But it wasn’t a question that could be put off and decided upon later. The decision had to be made in time for the Paralympics, giving sufficient time for Russia’s appeal process to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.” As things turned out the Russian appeal was rejected on August 23, two days after the Olympics finished and well in time for the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics on September 7. “But in all of this,” Craven adds, “I was very confident because of the complete backing I had from the Board. I think it was the correct decision.” www.facebook.com/insidethegames
Craven’s joy at the overwhelming success of the London 2012 Paralympics is a matter of record. But there have been other key moments for him in his long years of leadership - notably in November 2005, within the vast confines of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, when he met China’s Premier, Wen Jiabao. “I don’t think the Paralympics were going in any strong positive direction at that time, with less than three years to go until the Games in Beijing,” he recalls. “That meeting was supposed to have lasted for 15 minutes. In fact we ended up talking for almost three quarters of an hour, and all we were speaking about was what sport could do for society. “That was the point where, if you like, the Paralympic space rocket took off in Beijing. It was a transformative moment for the Paralympic Movement.” Looking back from his position now, one wonders how he views the development of the IPC. “I have seen a transformation in the International Paralympic Committee,” he says. “When I became President there was a very strong disability orientation to the Movement. Now the emphasis is very different, very positive, and we are one of the most respected sports organisations around. “Our operation is based on strong governance, honesty and straight talking. That’s what I’m about. “When I started as President we had nine members of staff in our Bonn office. “That number has grown to more than 100 across a range of cities.
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“What we have always done is to stick to our core vision and values, with aspiration being one of the key things. We have been making continual progress through sport towards creating a more inclusive society, which is good for everyone. “We are not about money, we are about sport. That is as it should be. “The Paralympic Games themselves have become a high-performance sporting event as part of a two-Games, one-city model. This is partly a product of the developing relationship with the IOC – although that is sometimes a slightly rocky road.” So what direction does he imagine the IPC taking in future years, along that same rocky road? “There will be a new President, and a number of new Board members - I presume anything could happen,” Craven said. “But I only recently came back from the European Paralympic Committee’s General Assembly in Poland, Main: Sir Philip Craven’s eventful spell as International Paralympic Committee President is reaching its conclusion. Photo: Getty Images Top: Sir Philip, second left, has endured a testing relationship with IOC President Thomas Bach, second right. Photo: Getty Images Bottom: Russian athletes face missing the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang. Photo: Getty Images
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Top Left: London 2012 breathed new life into the Paralympic movement. Photo: Getty Images Bottom Left: The Rio 2016 Games were plagued with organisational problems before the sport began. Photo: Getty Images Below: Major announcements at IPC press conferences have become the norm. Photo: Getty Images
has been able to play in our sport since it was established in 2012.” And does the outgoing President have any advice for the incoming President, whoever that may turn out to be? “The new President will have to continue to strengthen our relationship with the IOC, and to establish a relationship with the President of the IOC,” he said. “But some of the candidates already are known to Mr Bach. “Since Rio, we have been working at Board level to develop the new long-term agreement with the IOC made in June last year which goes up to 2032. That has primarily involved our chief executive and senior staff working with the IOC director general Christophe De Kepper and his staff. There was also a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Thomas Bach and ourselves. and I sensed there was a great desire to continue in a similar direction to the one that has been taken over the last 16 years. But with regard to the suspension of the Russian NPC – that won’t be up to me.” In the wake of last year’s Paralympics, the IPC was obliged to conduct a “thorough examination” of 16 Rio swimmers to check they had been correctly classified for competition. Recently, too, UK Athletics conducted its own enquiry into possible abuses regarding classification, and concluded that the system was “open to exploitation.” So how does Craven believe things stand now in broad terms? “Classification is, in the majority of cases, a jewel in the crown of the Paralympic Movement, but it is also our Achilles heel,” he said.
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“We have been able to put increasing amounts of money into key research into all three main classification areas, to do with the visually impaired, the intellectually impaired and those with physical disabilities. “It’s an ongoing process - we have to work constantly to ensure that the process is working accurately in all areas of our sport. We have come a long, long way in terms of our classification code - but let’s not kid ourselves. Athlete classification will remain as one of the hot topics with regard to the Paralympic Movement. As will the need for athletes not to dope in sport. “I think these two issues are of similar importance, and they will continue to be so. We have to be strong, and to invest in dealing with both areas, which is something we are now more capable of doing. When I came into this job 16 years ago, we had very little money to do anything in these areas. “One of the biggest tasks for the new Board will be to manage the growth of the IPC. It is important that the principles we have maintained for the last 16 years are not affected in that process. “We are a sport organisation that believes itself to be a business with a volunteer ethic. We are not a business that has sport as a product. “That is one of the reasons why I am so excited about the role the Agitos Foundation @insidethegames
“If I was asked to offer the candidates for the IPC Presidency any advice, I would refer them to some things we have seen recently in British politics and say you have got to be yourself. If you try to be something you are not, people will weigh you up immediately. They will say to themselves ‘what the heck is going on with this woman, or this man?’ And they won’t trust them. “Whoever gets the IPC Presidency needs to know that it is eight-days-a-week, as The Beatles sang. If you are not ready to devote that amount of time to the job, it is not going to work. “One thing I am very pleased about is that after the vote on September 8 I will be around for probably three months assisting and helping the new President into the transition. There was nothing like that when I started 16 years ago. It was a case of ‘here it is, mate. Get on with it.’”
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The runners and riders Four people have thrown their hat into the ring to become the new International Paralympic Committee President. Liam Morgan looks at an intriguing race.
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lmost exactly a year ago, the International Paralympic Committee took a decision that would send shockwaves throughout the sporting world. The IPC banning the entire Russian team from the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was as brave as it was unprecedented. It was met with applause from some and indignation and concern from others. The bold move from the IPC, led by Sir Philip Craven, starkly contrasted to the International Olympic Committee, who decided not to impose a blanket ban on Russian athletes, described by Craven’s counterpart Thomas Bach as the “nuclear option”. The divergence in attitude has severed relations between the IOC and the IPC, with the two organisations seemingly as far apart as they have ever been. It is no wonder, then, that the candidates to replace Sir Philip, who is entering the final weeks at the helm of a governing body he has presided over for 16 years, have targeted an improvement in such relations. IPC vice-president Andrew Parsons, former European Paralympic Committee head John Petersson, Governing Board member Patrick Jarvis and Beijing 2022 vice-president Zhang Haidi are those in the running for the top job. At the time of writing, everyone except Zhang has outlined repairing the wounds opened up by the alternative paths taken regarding Russia as a crucial aim. Parsons, perhaps considered the favourite at this stage, has described it as “vital” that the two organisations settle their differences in the months and years to come. One of the 14 pillars in his manifesto deals with this exact issue. “It is only by working together that we can reach the true potential of this partnership,” Parsons says. Petersson, the Dane who led the EPC until June of this year, agrees. “I will establish a stronger working relationship with the IOC, with a strong Paralympic voice in this partnership,” he writes in his manifesto. www.facebook.com/insidethegames
Jarvis, who at the time of writing has not publicly released his plan and vision should he be elected, is on the same page as his Presidential rivals. “The IOC is our most important Games partner and that relationship needs to be further developed and fostered to Patrick Jarvis ensure it remains robust,” the Canadian said. Zhang, whose candidacy seemingly came as a surprise to the other three standing for the role and indeed the wider Paralympic Movement, has also not yet revealed her plan. It is likely, however, that she will also wish to strengthen the bond between the IPC and IOC if she succeeds with her election bid. The Chinese Paralympic Committee head is the great unknown in this election, which will culminate in the vote at the IPC General Assembly in Abu Dhabi on September 8. While the other three went public with their intention to stand, Zhang, a revered disability advocate in China, did not. Zhang’s nomination for the role ensured that four major regions across the world – North America, South America, Europe and Asia - all have a runner in a fascinating Presidential race. It might not have the allure of Trump v Zhang Haidi Clinton, but its result will shape the future direction of the Paralympic Movement. A new era will be initiated in Abu Dhabi next month - the victor will be the IPC’s third head in its 28-year history - but it is old problems which will be the main items in the President’s in-tray. Dealing with the fallout from a crunch meeting regarding Russia in a few weeks’ time will certainly be high on the agenda as it could @insidethegames
herald the start of Russia’s redemption or it could mean the country is exiled from a second Paralympic Games in a row. Either way, the IPC President will be tasked with guiding the organisation through the aftermath. Another issue which the candidates have pledged to tackle is athlete classification, described by Parsons as a “starting point for any fair competition” in the Movement. As each edition of the Games passes by, the IPC often face the same questions and Andrew Parsons concerns. The phrase “intentional misrepresentation” buzzes around the Paralympics like an irritating bee at the height of the summer season and reared its ugly head once again prior to Rio 2016. Deliberately placing athletes into the wrong category to improve their chances of success is among the worst forms of cheating in sport. Along with doping, it gives athletes an unfair advantage over their rivals and tarnishes what the Paralympics are all about; fair and inclusive competition for all. Like the Russian conundrum, the candidates realise this is a pressing matter. Petersson has called for an “athlete-focused” classification system, while Parsons has vowed to “professionalise” the current model, John Petersson possibly through the use of technology. Jarvis, too, has cited it as a priority. Of paramount importance to all four will be ensuring the 2018 Winter Paralympics run smoothly, particularly after the chaos that plagued the build-up to Rio 2016, where financial issues threatened to derail the event entirely. Promotion, awareness and interest levels have already been highlighted as concerns as we draw nearer to the event, due to run from March 8 to 18, by Sir Philip. His replacement will have to give organisers the push they might yet need. In a more general sense, they will all be hoping to pick up from where the Briton left off. But it is Russia which will hang over the early stages of their Presidency and possibly even beyond.
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I WANT TO RIDE THE BICYCLE An intriguing battle to lead the International Cycling Union will come to a head in Bergen in September. Michael Pavitt examines the two riders on the start-line.
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ith one week to go before the deadline for nominations for the International Cycling Union Presidency, incumbent Brian Cookson mused about the “happy possibility” he could be unopposed for a second and final term. Enter David Lappartient, the former President of the French Cycling Federation. The Brittany native threw his hat into the ring on the eve of the deadline and launched a social media campaign, website and video. It means it will be a contest rather than a coronation. A Briton versus a Breton. A Presidential bid from Lappartient had been rumoured for several months prior to the deadline, following his decision not to seek a third term at the FFC. He also criticised Cookson’s leadership of the organisation in a letter last year. Despite having raised the idea of being unopposed, it would have been a surprise if Cookson had not seen the challenge coming. The 66-year-old confirmed his intention to stand for a second term at the European Cycling Union Congress in 2016, while he had previously suggested Lappartient, 22 years his junior, should wait four-years to potentially have a free run at the top job.
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He may have been trying to talk a potential dangerous French rival out of opposing him. Or could it be that Cookson was exuding confidence to suggest he would secure a second term if opposed or not? Was he almost daring Lappartient to bring it on? We will ultimately discover the outcome at the UCI Congress in Bergen on September 21, which takes place prior to the Road World Championships in the Norwegian city. A total of 45 delegates, representing cycling federations from across the world, will decide the victor. Nine each will vote from Africa, the Americas and Asia, with three more from Oceania. Europe has the largest bloc with 15 delegates. The UCI will want to avoid the chaotic scenes from the last election in Florence in 2013, when doubts over then President Pat McQuaid’s nomination led to farce. The Irishman eventually saw a controversial reign come to an end, with Cookson prevailing by 24 votes to 18. Having inherited a sport still reeling from Lance Armstrong’s doping admission, and allegations surrounding McQuaid and his predecessor Hein Verbruggen, there was clearly a lot to do to restore the UCI’s reputation.
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Cookson will view his handling of this as one of his main accomplishments. He fulfilled a campaign pledge by establishing the Cycling Independent Reform Commission, which produced a report investigating the sport’s troubled past. Published in March 2015, it outlined what it considered to be key challenges facing anti-doping efforts in cycling. The 227 page document was critical of the previous UCI leadership which led some to criticise it, including Verbruggen. The Dutchman labelled it an “anti-Verbruggen report” and opposed several of the conclusions until his death in June.
Brian Cookson is keen to win another term. Photo: Getty Images
Many viewed the report to be a more serious version of the truth and reconciliation effort under McQuaid. While the previous leadership of the UCI had often found itself in conflict with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Cookson has been able to forge a greater working relationship, fulfilling another manifesto pledge from 2013. Officials from those organisations have endorsed his re-election campaign. The Briton believes the efforts of the UCI, under his leadership, have led to the governing body enjoying a growing reputation within the Olympic Movement. He highlighted the addition of BMX freestyle and madison competitions to the Tokyo 2020 programme as evidence. “The result we have got is a demonstration of the successful relationship we have built with the IOC and the growing reputation we have developed for our sport after where we were four years ago, when we were being threatened with removal from the Olympic programme altogether,” he told insidethegames. “We need to be thankful and deliver a great programme in Tokyo, I am sure we can do that. I believe that will give a good incentive for the IOC to support our sport as it moves forward. “We have never been in such a strong position with the Olympic Movement. I met with IOC President Thomas Bach in June, where he www.facebook.com/insidethegames
acknowledged the great progress we have made in cycling, in particular our efforts regarding anti-doping.” The addition of events to the Tokyo 2020 programme is arguably at the top of Cookson’s list of achievements since taking office, with cycling disciplines removed from the programme under his predecessors. While Lappartient has vowed to make the UCI a “strong and wellrespected federation by improving its governance and regaining its capacity of influence in the Olympic Movement”, the Frenchman is going to find it hard to convince delegates he could have done a better job than Cookson in this area. It could prove a key area when it comes to the final vote, with the delivery of additional cycling events at the Olympics likely to be a big draw for federations. While Cookson will have been dealt a significant boost by the Olympic events, Lappartient will hope to woo votes with the promise of major changes to road cycling. While he has sat on the UCI Management Committee, the governing body’s executive, the Frenchman claims to have voiced his concerns over Cookson-led reforms. “Professional road cycling is the highlight of our sport, however, the recent reforms have unfortunately failed to meet the challenges we are faced with in this discipline,” Lappartient said. “In collaboration with different stakeholders, I will put in place fundamental and ambitious changes to improve road cycling.” Under the initial reforms, outlined in September 2015, 18 men’s professional teams would have been awarded three-year
The cycling world is awaiting the outcome of the UCI Presidential race. Photo: Getty Images
WorldTour licences, rather than awarding them annually. WorldTour races would have also received licences for the same period of time, while a limited number of races were due to be added to the existing calendar. Following a threat by the Amaury Sport Organisation to remove their races from the WorldTour, including the Tour de France, an agreement was reached between the organiser and the UCI. Backed by Lappartient, the deal saw ASO races remain on the WorldTour, while teams were awarded licences for two years. The number competing in the 2017 season was set at 17. The UCI eventually added 10 events as part of the expanded series, although the Tour of Qatar was eventually cancelled due to a supposed lack of financial backing. It has been argued by some that the “watered down” reforms have done little to address issues which affect riders and teams, but instead have seen the UCI back down to cycling’s most powerful race organiser. Cookson has admitted the changes in the WorldTour are a work in
More Olympic events will be added to the Tokyo 2020 programme. Photo: Getty Images
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David Lappartient will provide Brian Cookson with stern competition. Photo: Getty Images
progress and rejected Lappartient’s view that they have failed, claiming he was trying to seek a balance between all stakeholders. “We have a very balanced calendar, we respect the heritage of our sport, but we have started to build around that,” Cookson said. “We have some new events like the Strade Bianche in Europe and successful events in other parts of the world, we are seeing those develop. The WorldTour is now becoming more of a genuine WorldTour.” “If David thinks the reforms have failed, I am afraid he has been the President of the Professional Cycling Council for the last four years,” he added. “That is almost an admission of failure on his own behalf. I do not think those changes have failed, we have got a work in progress to do. We have very productive meetings of the Professional Cycling Council and we have support from the organisers, teams and riders. “We collaborate, discuss and reach consensus in those meetings. I am baffled as to why David should think that is a failure.” The added intrigue around this potentially key battleground comes with Lappartient being viewed by many to have a close relationship with the ASO. While this could be perceived as an advantage, as a close relationship might give him freedom to push through ambitious reforms, there are fears that the organiser could gain even greater influence in cycling, perhaps to the detriment of teams and riders. Having been part of the UCI’s Management Committee, the Frenchman would do himself a disservice to attack the reforms he has played a part in too heavily, but he also faces the challenge of setting himself apart as a “change” candidate. An area Cookson may believe he holds an advantage is women’s cycling, following the launch of the Women’s WorldTour in 2016 under his leadership. While a manifesto pledge to introduce a minimum wage for women was eventually scrapped, after claims it could hinder the growth of women’s cycling, Cookson has vowed to make the series more economically www.facebook.com/insidethegames
sustainable in the coming years, if re-elected. “We have made a great start there, a lot more events are in the calendar and there are more racing opportunities for women,” Cookson said. “We need to get the sponsors coming in more and make it more economically sustainable and viable, so we can increase the remuneration and prize money for riders to get a better balance between men’s and women’s professional riders. There is a long way to go yet, we have started on the journey.”
Olympic and Paralympic bid, is also a feather in his cap. “It is crucial that we have at the UCI, a President with real leadership, who is truly engaged and with a clear vision for cycling,” said Lappartient. “I have these qualities and the credentials it takes to lead the UCI. “As a two-term President of the FFC, I was able to modernise this federation and bring to life the creation of the National Velodrome, that France was waiting for. With the UEC’s
Brian Cookson will point to improvements for female cyclists. Photo: Getty Images
While Cookson can point to the UCI’s improved reputation, a boost in Olympic events and the growth of women’s cycling as tangible achievements, his first term has not been all plain sailing. The difficulties in pushing through WorldTour reforms has been one particular sticking point, while the first discovered case of mechanical doping was detected last year. Concerns over the governance of British Cycling in the final years of his 17-year Presidency there have also emerged in the past year. Although they might not have registered too greatly outside of Britain, difficult questions about therapeutic use exemptions and the British Cycling Board not acting on bullying concerns have proved awkward for the UCI President at the start of an election campaign. This is especially so as Lappartient has presented himself as an impressive candidate, citing his work and re-elections at the FFC and European Cycling Union as signs he can deliver on promises. Delivery of the French National Velodrome, the base of the FFC and a potential venue should Paris 2024 be successful with their @insidethegames
support, I launched some profound transformation in our continental confederation.” The election appears too close to call, with Lappartient sure to have garnered strong support from across Europe, which holds the largest number of voting delegates. Cookson has clearly been on the campaign trail for some time, judging by the number of photos he has had with various officials from across the world. With the advantage of being the incumbent and having steadied the ship during his tenure, it might prove enough for the Briton to secure a second term.
The madison is set to return at Tokyo 2020. Photo: Getty Images
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WRESTLING’S
GREATEST Wrestling was forced to get up off the mat to win the right to stay in the Olympic ring. Mike Rowbottom looks at the ancient sport’s greatest battle.
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n February 12, 2013, the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board voted to recommend that wrestling be dropped from the Games as a core sport from 2016 onwards. The effect, within a sport that has existed in various forms for more than 4,000 years, was seismic. From appearing to be on its feet, wrestling - a key part of the Ancient Olympics, a founder sport in the modern Games - was suddenly pinned to the mat. British wrestler Non Evans spoke for many when she told the BBC: “I didn’t see it coming. I’m very shocked, surprised and disappointed. Wrestling is one of the most ancient sports, but I think the world has changed. “This will have a huge impact on wrestling. When you are young you aspire to compete at an Olympics or World Cup. When a sport is not at the Olympics, as a child you will choose a different sport.” Following the 2012 London Olympics, the IOC’s Executive Committee had conducted a study of the 26 core sports in terms of their success in the British capital as well as worldwide grassroots support, TV ratings, ticket sales and anti-doping activity. The plan was to trim one core sport so that, from the 2020 Olympics onwards, there would be 25 core sports and one non-core sport at each Games. Before this fateful meeting in Lausanne it
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The ancient sport of wrestling endured a fierce battle to maintain its Olympic status. Photo: Getty Images
seemed that no-one thought wrestling was in the frame to be dropped. The decision meant it would have to take its chances of becoming the non-core sport at Tokyo 2020 along with seven other aspiring newcomers - baseball/softball, squash, karate, sport climbing, wakeboarding, wushu (otherwise known as kung-fu) and roller sports. “This is not the end of the process, this is purely a recommendation,” said IOC spokesman Mark Adams. “This is not about what’s wrong with wrestling but what is good for the Games.” From a wrestling point of view, that statement sounded ominous rather than reassuring. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. At the time of the February decision Nenad Lalović had been a member of the ruling Bureau at the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, FILA, since 2006. Appointed as
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President of the poorly resourced Serbian Wrestling Federation in 2000, he had built up the sport in his country with financial help from his successful business career in construction and car dealerships. In the wake of the Lausanne recommendation, he made his bewilderment, and anger, clear to insidethegames. “We spoke many times with the Bureau and with the President and never did anyone say to us that there might be some problem,” he said. “For us, it was really a surprise. FILA had filled out a questionnaire, which all the federations had to fulfil. We were informed everything was alright and we were informed that there would be a great fight between taekwondo and modern pentathlon. But nobody was speaking loudly about wrestling and wrestling problems.” By February 15, Lalović found himself in a position to mobilise the huge amount of international support that had arisen for his
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MIKE ROWBOTTOM CHIEF FEATURE WRITER, INSIDETHEGAMES important role that wrestling plays in the sports landscape both in the United States and around the world.” Alexander Zhukov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee, added: “I want to appeal to the International Olympic Committee on behalf of the Russian Olympic Committee with the request to keep wrestling in the Olympic programme,” he said. “I think it’s extraordinarily important, not only for Russian sport and the million wrestling enthusiasts in Russia, but more broadly for the world Olympic Movement. “We will, of course, be putting all our efforts into convincing the members of the International Olympic Committee not to exclude wrestling from the Olympic programme.” Mikhail Mamiashvili, President of the Russian Wrestling Federation, claimed Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was preparing to lobby personally on the sport’s behalf and supported the setting up of the new committee. Also supporting the group’s lobbying efforts was arguably the greatest wrestler in history, Alexander Karelin, the triple Olympic champion. A Facebook group – Save Olympic Wrestling - was launched, attracting more than 60,000 likes on the first day, while a petition started on the White House website swiftly gathered more than 21,000 signatures. The day after the IOC Executive announcement, there was a significant glimmer of light for wrestling. The original IOC plan had been for only one sport to be recommended as
sport and to push on with urgent modernisation and change ahead of a key deadline at the 2013 IOC Session in Buenos Aires. He became interim President of the international federation in place of Raphael Martinetti after the Swiss leader lost a vote of confidence at an emergency board meeting. On February 17 it was announced that a special committee had been set up by Lalović to coordinate the sport’s campaign to stay in the Games. Russia and the United States, not normally natural allies, had led the protests. “Given the history and tradition of wrestling, and its popularity and universality, we were surprised when the decision was announced,” said Scott Blackmun, chief executive of the United States Olympic Committee. “It is important to remember that [this] action is a recommendation, and we hope that there will be a meaningful opportunity to discuss the www.facebook.com/insidethegames
the non-core addition to the Tokyo Games when the IOC membership was asked to approve the change at the Buenos Aires Session. But IOC President Jacques Rogge had to bow to pressure and eight contending sports were offered the chance to make further presentations to the IOC Executive Board at the SportAccord meeting in St Petersburg from May 29 to 31. Three of them would then be shortlisted for inclusion by the IOC membership. The tide of opinion was running wrestling’s way - but in order for the sport to achieve its ends, swift and serious changes were required. “I believe that the main problem is that the rules mean our sport is not watchable enough and interesting enough for the persons who come the first time, who have never looked at some wrestling competitions before,” said Lalović. “A group of coaches, referees, Olympic champions are working on it.” Lalović made better governance another high priority. “We also have to solve some problems as one of the remarks [at the IOC Executive Board] we believe was that sportsmen, our athletes, are not involved enough in the decision-making of the federation,” he said. “That we have solved now by creating a new Athletes’ Commission. “Every continental conference has a woman involved and there are two women on the Bureau. But it’s still the minimum - we want more women to participate in the decision making.”
United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic led the campaign to see his sport reinstated. Photo: Getty Images
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Changes were made to make wrestling more positive. Photo: Getty Images
He added: “FILA was too far from the IOC in many points of view and this is maybe the result of what happened. We are still in the same family but maybe we have been bad neighbours. But I strongly believe that we have a very short time to clean our yard and speak with our neighbours.” Lalović held talks on March 7 with the IOC President. “I told him that we understood the message the IOC was sending us by dropping us as a core sport and that I didn’t blame them,” he said. “We have been asleep for too long and we didn’t modernise or adapt the sport like we should have done. I told them that we are now trying to fix this and then I listened. “The IOC’s process has given wrestling a golden opportunity to stay within the Olympics.” By the time wrestling kept itself in the game by reaching the shortlist of three in St Petersburg, Lalovic had actioned a wide swath of reforms and improvements. In April, international management firm TSE Consulting was appointed to develop a strategic plan. In May the sport announced it would be replacing two men’s events with women’s events in the freestyle division to increase gender equality. On May 18, Lalović was officially confirmed as FILA President, and a series of rule changes were adopted. They included ensuring matches were made up of two three-minute sessions instead of three two-minute periods. Scoring was to www.facebook.com/insidethegames
become cumulative instead of the previous two-out-of-three system and a takedown was upgraded to two points, making it more valuable than a point for the push-out or a penalty point. Other changes included trying to stamp out passivity by awarding penalty points to make bouts more exciting. Constitutional changes included establishing a mandatory women’s vicepresidency role and giving athletes a greater role in the running of the sport. In July, Lalovic announced he had increased the budget for out-of-competition drug testing “by five times”, saying “It is now €100,000”. Later that month, the sport nudged the IOC by holding a special tournament in Olympia, just 500 metres from where Milo of Croton, the famous ancient wrestler, had won six Olympic titles in the sixth century BC. So wrestling, flipped over onto its back and placed in a stranglehold by the IOC, had twisted free and now stood panting and ready to resume its battle for survival at the Games by reclaiming its place in Buenos Aires. “It has been a journey through troubled waters but we can now see the harbour here in Buenos Aires,” Lalović said.
Wrestling’s story has been described as a “journey through troubled waters”. Photo: Getty Images
On September 8, wrestling duly resumed its place on the Olympic programme, polling 49 votes to win in the first of a possible two rounds of voting, with baseball/softball coming second with 24 votes, and squash third with 22. “Today is the most important day in the 2,000-year history of our sport,” Lalović said. “We feel the weight of that history. Remaining on the Olympic programme is crucial to wrestling’s survival.” IOC members nevertheless left the presentation team in no doubt that they would remain very much under scrutiny with a string of probing questions relating to rule changes, gender parity and other “mistakes”, @insidethegames
including allegations of corruption, that first got wrestling into trouble. Since then, the process of change within wrestling has continued at a steady rate. In 2014 a re-branding of the governing body saw FILA renamed as United World Wrestling. In 2015 the combined World Championships in Greco-Roman and Freestyle were held in the United States for the first
Eighteen gold medals were awarded at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Photo: Getty Images
time, with Las Vegas staging competition. Eighteen gold medals were awarded across the men’s and women’s wrestling events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but the UWW acted swiftly to suspend three referees suspected of “suspicious officiating”. In September 2016, the UWW announced it would be financing a new programme focusing on the “development and education” of its officials. In June 2017, the UWW offered evidence of how seriously it is enforcing anti-doping measures as it suspended Azerbaijan’s London 2012 gold medallist and Rio 2016 silver medallist Toghrul Asgarov for a year after he tested positive for higenamine. Later in June, the IOC confirmed changes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic programme, including the reduction of wrestling’s quota by 56 entries. The cutback was part of the 2013 agreement wrestling had made while lobbying its way back in. Wrestling will have a total of 288 total athletes for the 2020 Games, with 16 wrestlers at each of the 18 weight categories. “We’ve always understood that being voted back onto the Olympic programme meant maturing into an active and engaged member of the Olympic movement,” said Lalović. “These adjustments will help the Olympic Games move closer to accomplishing the goals set out in Agenda 2020.” The bad neighbours of the past are now very much solid citizens in the Olympic world…
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MIKE ROWBOTTOM CHIEF FEATURE WRITER, INSIDETHEGAMES
And the winner is
- everyone!
Losing is part of any Olympic race. In fact, it’s one of the great Olympic traditions.
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ow good of the IOC to come up with a way of awarding Olympic Games that means there are no losers. “Hey LA! Missed out on 2024? Stress not, guys - 2028 abides.” “Bonjour Paris. Ca ne marche pas pour 2024? Pas de problème. 2028 arrivera bientot.” The question now is, once this Olympic Order has been settled in September, can the IOC keep it up? I know the 2032 Summer Olympics sound a long way away, but it’s funny how time slips by, and don’t forget - that decision on hosting needs to be made, all things being equal, in 2025. The first point to be addressed by the IOC, though, is attracting future bidders. It can be so awkward trying to put on a major Games without one. It may be that the IOC can take comfort in the recent experience of the Commonwealth Games Federation, whose hopes and expectations over the hosting of the 2022 Games have been up and down like the proverbial fiddler’s elbow. Serious thought needs to be given now by the IOC to adopting the model of Commonwealth Games bidding that has recently, and marvellously, emerged. Step 1: invite cities to bid for your event. Step 2: look on with growing dismay as the bidding cities go back on their intentions either because of underlying economic problems or chaotic and useless coordination. Step 3 – and this is the hard one: remain hopeful, resisting the urge to scream out loud with frustration. Which will inevitably lead to Step 4: accept numerous feasible bids from cities eager to fill the void. Remember - a bidding process, like nature, abhors a vacuum. Once you’ve got a handful of proper bids to choose from, just divvy it all up and give cities a Games each for the next however many years. Everybody wins. Simple. Of course, this new strategy does run the risk of the Olympic Movement losing the drama that is so often a compelling feature of the bid process.
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It has become traditional in the wake of recent Games awards for a plethora of colour pieces to be written about “The Overlooked”. There can’t be a winner unless there is a loser – or at least, that’s how it used to be in the old IOC landscape. Which means that there has always been scope for covering the shock and disillusion of those who have supported Olympic bids that have not delivered a Games. Pictures of shattered supporters - hopes departed, faces crumpled, redundant posters and flags slack in their hands - are a staple of Olympic coverage. In a sense, it is one of the great Olympic events. Who could forget the pictures from downtown Chicago in 2009 of dismayed citizens who had just learned that their city - no matter that it was the hometown of the President of the United States and his First Lady had just spoken thoughtfully and eloquently of what that city could bring to the Games if the Games brought themselves to it – was out in the first round of IOC voting for the 2016 Olympics? So many of those pictured in their suddenly forlorn orange campaign t-shirts appeared to be voicing the letter “O”. One young woman clutched a notice reading: “Oprah should get to light the Torch in 2016.” It wasn’t impossible even at that stage, of course, although it would have meant Oprah’s people talking to President Lula’s people in a meaningful way…
A supporter makes a claim for Oprah Winfrey to light the flame. Photo: Getty Images
Losing hurts. Paris have, this time, avoided the pain after their two unsuccessful bids for the 2008 and 2012 Games. No such luck for Madrid, who lost out on successive bids for the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics. The news of the most recent failure, following the IOC vote at Buenos Aires in 2013, dominated
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Chicago supporters were despondent after their Olympic defeat. Photo: Getty Images
the Spanish headlines. “The great disappointment,” shouted the front page of El Mundo newspaper, while ABC said “Goodbye to the Olympic dream”. If Madrid felt hard done by, however, maybe it could take a sliver of comfort from the case of Detroit, the midwest US “Motor City”, which bid for the 1944, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 summer Olympics. Without success. As a recent learned article in the Detroit Free Press by Stefan Szymanski, Professor of Sport Management at the University of Michigan, points out, Detroit actually offered to bid for the 1940 Games once the original choice, Tokyo, had dropped out because Japan was at war with China. Szymanski reports how the man who carried Detroit’s Olympic dreams for more than 30 years, self-made businessman Fred Matthaei, offered to step in, having persuaded the City of Detroit to guarantee $3 million - equivalent to about $50 million today - to build an Olympic Stadium and swimming facility. “To help him promote the bid,” Szymanski wrote, “he called on another native Detroiter and self-made businessman, Avery Brundage, then President of the United States Olympic Committee and soon to become President of the IOC. “Brundage encouraged Matthaei, arguing that although 1940 would probably be awarded to Helsinki, the IOC was an honourable organisation and would always repay those cities that showed a commitment to the Games while respecting the priority of others. The Games were duly awarded to Helsinki.” And Detroit is still waiting….
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