A
Anonymous
Guest
Chicago loses bid to win 2016 Games
Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated after the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics host city.
Friday, October 2, 2009
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sensationally rebuffed U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday, eliminating Chicago from the contest for the 2016 Olympics and narrowing the field to Rio de Janeiro and Madrid.
Tokyo were also voted out when the IOC whittled the choice from four to two candidates but it was Chicago's shock elimination which drew a stunned response from onlookers.
CNN Anchor Flabbergasted after Chicago Eliminated...
President Obama had put his personal political credibility on the line by flying in to the Danish capital earlier on Friday to urge the IOC to choose his home town of Chicago. His wife, first lady Michelle Obama, had spent two days in Copenhagen charming IOC members.
Almost no one had expected such an astonishing rebuff. Chicago finished last of the four bids in the first round of voting by 95 eligible members.
As none of the other three reached an overall majority, a second round of voting was held with Tokyo coming last, leaving Madrid and Rio in the third and final round.
The result of the final round of voting will be announced by IOC president Jacque Rogge at a ceremony starting at 1630 GMT.
STRONG APPEALS
Most observers had predicted a close contest between Chicago and Rio de Janeiro.
Though the U.S. President and his wife produced strong appeals in the day's first 45-minute presentation by Chicago, they were almost certainly undone by the emotional tugs provided by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for Rio and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch for Spain.
Lula raised the emotional stakes in his direct appeal to the IOC to stop favoring Europe, North America and Asia and take the Games to South America for the first time.
"This is a continent that has never held the Games," he said. "It is time to address this imbalance. The opportunity is now to extend the Games to a new continent. It's an opportunity for an Olympics in a tropical country for the first time, to feel the warmth of our people, the exuberance of our culture and the sensation of our joy."
Even more emotionally, Samaranch, now 89, pulled powerfully at the heart-strings of members when he spoke for Madrid. "I know I am very near the end of my days," he said. "May I ask you to consider granting my country the honor and also the duty to organize the games in 2016?"
Obama's appearance, the first by a sitting U.S. President at an IOC session, provoked huge interest from IOC members, even though they are used to being courted by major political figures.
Obama told the IOC: "I've come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reason I chose Chicago nearly twenty-five years ago, the reason I fell in love with the city I still call home."
Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated after the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics host city.
Friday, October 2, 2009
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sensationally rebuffed U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday, eliminating Chicago from the contest for the 2016 Olympics and narrowing the field to Rio de Janeiro and Madrid.
Tokyo were also voted out when the IOC whittled the choice from four to two candidates but it was Chicago's shock elimination which drew a stunned response from onlookers.
CNN Anchor Flabbergasted after Chicago Eliminated...
President Obama had put his personal political credibility on the line by flying in to the Danish capital earlier on Friday to urge the IOC to choose his home town of Chicago. His wife, first lady Michelle Obama, had spent two days in Copenhagen charming IOC members.
Almost no one had expected such an astonishing rebuff. Chicago finished last of the four bids in the first round of voting by 95 eligible members.
As none of the other three reached an overall majority, a second round of voting was held with Tokyo coming last, leaving Madrid and Rio in the third and final round.
The result of the final round of voting will be announced by IOC president Jacque Rogge at a ceremony starting at 1630 GMT.
STRONG APPEALS
Most observers had predicted a close contest between Chicago and Rio de Janeiro.
Though the U.S. President and his wife produced strong appeals in the day's first 45-minute presentation by Chicago, they were almost certainly undone by the emotional tugs provided by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for Rio and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch for Spain.
Lula raised the emotional stakes in his direct appeal to the IOC to stop favoring Europe, North America and Asia and take the Games to South America for the first time.
"This is a continent that has never held the Games," he said. "It is time to address this imbalance. The opportunity is now to extend the Games to a new continent. It's an opportunity for an Olympics in a tropical country for the first time, to feel the warmth of our people, the exuberance of our culture and the sensation of our joy."
Even more emotionally, Samaranch, now 89, pulled powerfully at the heart-strings of members when he spoke for Madrid. "I know I am very near the end of my days," he said. "May I ask you to consider granting my country the honor and also the duty to organize the games in 2016?"
Obama's appearance, the first by a sitting U.S. President at an IOC session, provoked huge interest from IOC members, even though they are used to being courted by major political figures.
Obama told the IOC: "I've come here today to urge you to choose Chicago for the same reason I chose Chicago nearly twenty-five years ago, the reason I fell in love with the city I still call home."