Just a quick thought about the failed Toronto bid to bring the Summer Olympics here in 2008. At the time, I was convinced that then-Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranche's pressuring to bring the games to China was an effort on his part to cement his legacy - and I do still believe this to be true. However, with the news coming out yesterday via the memoir of a Chinese Beijing bid official that some backroom IOC (International Olympic Committee) politicking ultimately secured the 2008 Games for China, I must say I'm not surprised.
The Globe and Mail's James Christie writes that current IOC President Jacques Rogge's ascension to the Olympic throne was orchestrated with Chinese support in exchange for the keys to the 2008 Summer Games. Clearly the millions upon millions spent on what appeared to be a winning Toronto bid, were of absolutely no consequence to IOC officials. Just another sign of how corrupt the Olympic establishment really is. History has proven that the Olympics are fraught with politics and though the organization's gotten better at minding its paper trails, the 'games behind the Games" continue to be played. I did not write this post to opine the failed Toronto Olympic bid, although a victory would have secured a much more sophisticated waterfront for Torontonians! I simply wonder what it would truly take to win one of these competitions when it seems the IOC usually has its mind made up before the bidding even begins. Vancouver 2010, you have some explaining to do...
Defender Telegraph, page 6, No. 001
A sorely needed waterfront upgrade, I might add. Toronto's waterfront has so much latent potential but it remains fragmented; it is not a cohesive and continuous entity like that of Chicago's waterfront trail system. In a way, it's sad that Torontonians would have to wait for a time when the world's eyes were on us (ie during the Olympics) to see any meaningful large-scale change to our city's shoreline.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely is a sad case chRon. Thanks for commenting!
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