TheUltimateWinner Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 Olympic officials have reportedly secretly asked if London would be in a position to take over games after progress in Rio was branded ‘critical' Olympic officials have secretly asked if London would be in a position to take over hosting the 2016 games from Rio de Janeiro amid major concerns with the city’s preparations. The informal enquiry looked to determine if enough of the venues used in the 2012 games could be brought back into use for the next Olympics in two years time, the Evening Standard reports. The revelation comes as an International Olympic Committee vice president last month branded Brazil’s planning “the worst I have experiencedâ€. John Coates, who has closely monitored progress from Rio, told a press conference in Sydney that the city is “in many, many ways†further behind Athens was two years before the 2004 games - the current benchmark for last minute completions. Calling the situation on the ground “criticalâ€, Mr Coates said the IOC has been forced to make an “unprecedented†intervention by forming a special task force to try to speed up preparations. He added however that “there is no plan B†as the games could not be moved to a different city at such a late stage. Since then, it seems that the IOC may well have changed its mind and started searching for a backup plan which could involve London. A source told the Standard: “At a comparable planning stage in 2004 Athens had done 40 per cent of preparations on infrastructure, stadiums and so on. London had done 60 per cent. Brazil has done 10 per cent - and they have just two years left. So the IOC is thinking, ‘What’s our plan B?’ “Obviously, the answer would be to come back to London. It’s very unlikely but it would be the logical thing to do.†Director of event consultants Allium, Will Glendinning, who worked on the London Organising Committee for the 2012 games said that there was “more than enough time†for London to prepare. “Yes of course it can be done,†he said. “One of the UK’s greatest exports is our major events capability. The expertise exists and regarding facilities we are a couple of years away.†But a spokeswoman for the IOC said the possibility of Rio 2016 being moved to London was a “non-starter and unfeasibleâ€. Reports in England are suggesting that secret discussions have taken place to host the 2016 Olympics in London as Rio is falling behind in preparations. The London Evening Standard has said that informal discussions have taken place within the International Olympic Committee as organisers in Rio have fallen badly behind schedule. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/london-2016-plans-to-move-rio-olympics-to-uk-amid-concerns-over-brazils-preparations-30260406.html
AKCJ Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 Isn't the Olympic Stadium being transformed for West Ham? It's not being left as it is is it?
Footballwipe Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 This has already been rubbished http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/09/ioc-olympic-games-2016-host-rio-london
Amin Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 Isn't the Olympic Stadium being transformed for West Ham? It's not being left as it is is it? It will be slightly altered but it has to remain as an athletics stadium aswell as a football stadium. It's hosting the 2017 world athletics championship.
stripeyfox Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 Olympic officials have reportedly secretly asked if London would be in a position to take over games after progress in Rio was branded ‘critical' Olympic officials have secretly asked if London would be in a position to take over hosting the 2016 games from Rio de Janeiro amid major concerns with the city’s preparations. The informal enquiry looked to determine if enough of the venues used in the 2012 games could be brought back into use for the next Olympics in two years time, the Evening Standard reports. The revelation comes as an International Olympic Committee vice president last month branded Brazil’s planning “the worst I have experiencedâ€. John Coates, who has closely monitored progress from Rio, told a press conference in Sydney that the city is “in many, many ways†further behind Athens was two years before the 2004 games - the current benchmark for last minute completions. Calling the situation on the ground “criticalâ€, Mr Coates said the IOC has been forced to make an “unprecedented†intervention by forming a special task force to try to speed up preparations. He added however that “there is no plan B†as the games could not be moved to a different city at such a late stage. Since then, it seems that the IOC may well have changed its mind and started searching for a backup plan which could involve London. A source told the Standard: “At a comparable planning stage in 2004 Athens had done 40 per cent of preparations on infrastructure, stadiums and so on. London had done 60 per cent. Brazil has done 10 per cent - and they have just two years left. So the IOC is thinking, ‘What’s our plan B?’ “Obviously, the answer would be to come back to London. It’s very unlikely but it would be the logical thing to do.†Director of event consultants Allium, Will Glendinning, who worked on the London Organising Committee for the 2012 games said that there was “more than enough time†for London to prepare. “Yes of course it can be done,†he said. “One of the UK’s greatest exports is our major events capability. The expertise exists and regarding facilities we are a couple of years away.†But a spokeswoman for the IOC said the possibility of Rio 2016 being moved to London was a “non-starter and unfeasibleâ€. Reports in England are suggesting that secret discussions have taken place to host the 2016 Olympics in London as Rio is falling behind in preparations. The London Evening Standard has said that informal discussions have taken place within the International Olympic Committee as organisers in Rio have fallen badly behind schedule. http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/london-2016-plans-to-move-rio-olympics-to-uk-amid-concerns-over-brazils-preparations-30260406.html no chance this will happen. Many of the venues have been converted and the Olympic village is now peoples homes. It's a nice story but no chance of it happening
Super_horns Posted 10 May 2014 Posted 10 May 2014 Brazil will be ready - sort of. This drama always happens before the games almost to scare people into getting things done.
Hollism Posted 12 May 2014 Posted 12 May 2014 They said this before Christmas about the World Cup as well
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