So the shortlist for 2020 has been announced, and it's down to Madrid (ESP), perennial bidder Istanbul (TUR), and 1964 host Tokyo (JAP).
Doha (QAT) has already stated that it will bid a third time, but it seems that the IOC will not consider a Summer Games in the fall - despite its stated open-mindedness. Baku (AZE) will also probably bid again, as I don't suppose delusions of grandeur fade away over night; I'm not saying Azerbaijan won't ever host the Summer Olympic Games, I'm just saying that they have a long way to go before that would happen.
My money is still on Istanbul because I really do believe that the current trend in athletic megaevents is to go where no megaevent has gone before (the World Cup in Qatar?). Tokyo is still in this race, but Madrid would have to pull a major rabbit out of its hat to get the Games.
Future US Bids
The USOC recently announced that they would not put forward a bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, instead choosing to focus on summer 2024 or winter 2026. This is probably a smart decision, but I think the USOC should simply focus on summer bids, period. They should also try to enlist a few cities to put together a bid for a future Youth Olympic Games, which might demonstrate to the IOC the United States's commitment to the Olympic Movement versus lucrative television broadcasting rights.
However, I think good cities like Chicago and New York have been scared away from the bid process by their past experiences. My prediction? Los Angeles or Dallas will be the US choice in 2024, which means another US loss. If the USOC can regain Chicago's trust and interest, then we might have a shot.
London 2012
The Games of the XXXth Olympiad are less than a month away and my excitement is building! The Opening Ceremonies will be broadcast by NBC on Friday, July 27 at 7:30 pm (on taped delay).
