Flame out for Chicago in bidding for 2016 Olympics

Rio de Janeiro captures sporting prize

By Kathy Bergen and Philip Hersh - Tribune reporters

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COPENHAGEN — It was the kind of stinging defeat Chicago sports fans know all too well.Mayor Richard Daley took one grand shot at landing the Olympics, devoting more than three years to an effort that involved thousands of volunteers and more than $72 million in donations, but in the end Chicago was done in by a combination of Rio de Janeiro’s more compelling story line and the quirky politics of Olympic voting. 

Despite an appearance by President Barack Obama at the final presentations Friday, Chicago’s candidacy landed with a thud. The city was ousted in the first round of voting for the 2016 Games, rejected before the mayor’s car could even arrive back at the convention center to witness the drama of the International Olympic Committee vote. He had the car turned around and headed straight to a suddenly deflated Chicago backers’ party.

Back in Chicago, the celebration also ended practically as quickly as it began. Would-be revelers arrived at Daley Center and other locations expecting a tense morning culminating in a victory announcement just before noon locally. Instead, Chicago was out of the running by about 10:15 a.m.

Chicago’s main pitch was to put on games along the spectacular backdrop of Lake Michigan. That turned out to be no match for Rio, not because the beach at Ipanema outshines Oak Street, but because of a more powerful geographic symbolism. Time and time again in this intense contest, Rio de Janeiro hammered away at the fact that an organization devoted to international understanding through sport had never deigned to give the games to South America.

Rio’s argument won the day, and the games, over Madrid in the third and final round of voting, 66-32. Chicago got the least votes in round one and was eliminated, followed out the door by Tokyo in round two.

“I wouldn’t say it was a negative vote (against Chicago) as much as it was a positive vote for Brazil and the idea of having games in the southern hemisphere,” said Richard Carrion, an International Olympic Committee member from Puerto Rico. “I analyze it more that Brazil had a better idea.”

For Chicago, this is the end of the road for this particular pursuit, at least in the short term. Daley ruled out a bid for 2020, saying it was highly unlikely the IOC would return to the Americas so quickly.

About three hours after Chicago was eliminated, Daley made his first public statement, saying he was disappointed, “but you go on with your life.”

IOC politics appeared to play a major role in explaining how Chicago, which many saw as the favorite, was eliminated so quickly. The first round of voting is always the most unpredictable, with regional allies often promising to back friends, or conspiring to gang up on a specific challenger.

In this case, friends of Rio may have formed alliances to quickly eliminate Chicago, its most significant threat, said Richard Pound, an IOC member from Canada.

“That’s sport politics, not anything else,” he said, adding that the Europeans and the Asians are much better at this maneuvering than are North Americans. “We kind of think if you’ve got the best bid, the world will recognize that, and these decisions are made solely on the merits of the bid. Well, not solely.”

Another factor in Chicago’s vote failure appeared to be the sometimes fractious relationship between the United States Olympic Committee and the IOC. The two sides have sparred over issues such as TV contract revenue, potentially alienating some IOC members.

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IOC members: Don’t blame it on Chicago

By Philip Hersh

Don’t blame it on Chicago.

That’s the take from several members of the International Olympic Committee interviewed after the IOC booted Chicago after the first round of voting.

Several said the quality of Rio de Janeiro’s winning bid was better. And at least one IOC member blamed the Olympic movement in the United States.

“I think Chicago had a good bid and good people,” said Switzerland’s Denis Oswald, a frequent critic of the United States Olympic Committee and a key figure in revenue-sharing battles with the group.

“The kind of instability shown by USOC in recent months has not helped. We had been dealing with some people, and suddenly we heard one has disappeared and one was nearly fired, and you had to start with totally new people. It’s also a human relationship. It’s always easier to deal with people you know and have full confidence (in).”

He said 10 to 15 IOC members had discussed the revenue-sharing friction with him, as well as plans for an Olympic TV network in the United States that angered the IOC.

“The colleagues who asked me, I said I would like you to forget about this,” Oswald said.  “We will try to find a solution, and we should judge Chicago based on the quality of its bid. But everyone has a different approach, and I cannot say this has not played a role for a number of people.”

So it was a defeat for the USOC?

“That’s my impression, yes,” Oswald said.

Another IOC member, Canada’s Richard Pound, disagreed.

“I don’t know that it says anything to them (the United States and the USOC),” Pound said. “When you look at the margin, it was clear there was an effort to make sure Rio got this, and the only meaningful threat to Rio would have been Chicago. So all the friends of Rio were urged to try and make sure Chicago didn’t get into that position.

“I think there were a lot of people saying, ‘If we don’t get it, we’ll support you but we’ve got to stop Chicago.’  And that’s sport politics, not anything else.  It’s election management. The Europeans and the Asians are much better at this (in the IOC) than we are. They are better at managing elections and thinking strategically. We kind of think if you’ve got the best bid, the world will recognize that, and these decisions are made solely on the merits of the bid. Well, not solely.”

Still, several IOC members expressed surprise at Chicago’s first-round exit.

Said Norway’s Gerhard Heiberg: “This was, I can’t say a wrong decision, but it was not a right decision.”

“Going out in first round, that was just an accident,” said Switzerland’s Rene Fasel. “I expected to have a different vote in the end. If Chicago is against Rio, it will be much closer.”

None were more shocked than IOC member Anita DeFrantz from the United States. “Shock would be a pleasant word,” she said.

But just as many people had praise for Rio de Janeiro’s bid and the fact that it came from South America, which had never hosted an Olympics.

Here’s how Oswald described it: “There was such a strong aspiration to go to new horizons.”

“It’s an important message to the rest of the world that it’s possible to host the Olympic games,” added Namibia’s Frankie Fredericks.

“They (Rio) had a message,” Pound said. “They stayed on it. They managed to divert attention from all the risk areas they had, as did everybody else. You have got to admire the delivery of that result. I’m sure that a lot of the political maneuvering was based on the fact that (President Barack) Obama was probably going to come and was coming, so they said we’ve got to keep Chicago out of play, or we’re all dead.

“Can you imagine if he hadn’t come and this result had occurred? I think he did the right thing, and I think he made a lot of friends here, got a lot of respect.  It was the time for Rio.  It’s like when political change comes along.  People want change. It was South America’s time.”

“This was not a vote against any city, this was a vote in favor of Rio de Janeiro,” said Thomas Bach of Germany.

But Chicago losing in the first round?

“I also was surprised,” he said. “This vote was not against anybody, it was in favor of Rio and universality.”

“Good for Rio, very disappointing for Chicago,” said Kevan Gosper of Australia.  “They deserved better.”

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Rio de Janeiro to host 2016 Olympics

UPDATE: The International Olympic Committee has named Rio de Janeiro as the host city for the 2016 games.

Chicago has been eliminated in the first round of International Olympic Committee voting, and Tokyo was eliminated in the second round, leaving Rio de Janeiro and Madrid in the running for the 2016 Summer Games as the voting continues. The final announcement of the winner will be made about noon.

U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst and chief executive Stephanie Streeter both declined comment when approached by reporters soon after Chicago was eliminated.

“No comment. We will talk later,” Probst said.

Chicago 2016 sent out an emailed thank-you note to supporters in Chicago and across the world. It included these words: “While we were not fortunate enough to be selected as Host City, Chicago has won in many other ways.”

One Chicago consultant who traveled to Copenhagen with the bid team said the mood in the room ranges from “shock to devastation.”

In Washington, the sense of rejection was palpable. ”It’s disappointing,” said one Capitol Hill aide. “We’re all watching the coverage. Sen. Durbin was fully behind the bid, and it’s disappointing.”

Durbin, the assistant Senate majority leader, was a late entry to the Illinois delegation to Copenhagen and was on board Air Force One with President Obama when the crushing news came.

House Democrat Mike Quigley of Chicago, who won Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel’s old seat, reacted to the loss by saying: “Chicago was a world-class city before today’s decision, and Chicago will be a world-class city tomorrow. Although disappointment hangs in the air, this is not the time for regret, but rather to see opportunity in the incredible work that was done across Chicago over the past months.

“We now have the chance to move forward, free of the demands of the IOC, but equipped with plans that can address the real problems Chicagoans face on a daily basis. Chicago is now armed with an organizing capability never seen before, and an opportunity to continue the momentum and create better schools, more efficient transportation, and safer streets.”

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President Lula’s Empassioned Remarks Highlight Rio 2016 Olympic Bid Presentation

Rio de Janeiro presented their 2016 Olympic bid to the IOC third, at 12:05 PM local time in Copenhagen. A summary follows.

IOC member from Brazil Joao Havelange took the stage first. He shared memories of past Games that he participated in.

“I dream of history being made in 2016, the first Games in South America”

Havelange asked IOC members to help celebrate his 100th birthday at the Rio 2016 Games.

President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee Carlos Nuzman took the podium next. He described his past and experience in the Olympic movement. He said he dreams of seeing the whole world in Rio.

“Our economy is dynamic and strong and ready to host the Games” he said.

“Yes, Brazil is ready, Rio is ready. Ready to host the Games of certainty…”

“We are members of the same team that delivered the 2007 Pan American and Parapan-American Games”

Nuzman then showed his now-famous map of Olympic Games spread throughout the world with the exception of Africa and South America. He made a plea to send the Games to South America for the first time.

A video was presented showing various athletic and cultural events happening in typical Rio style. Images of the 2007 Pan Am Games were added.

Sergio Cabral, Governor of the State of Rio de Janiero took the stage and reminded IOC members that Rio was voted happiest city in the world by Forbes Magazine.

Cabral outlined financial plans and goals for the 2016 Games. He said they were ready to start immediately. Transportation improvements are to be completed prior the start of the 2014 World Cup.

With respect to security concerns Cabral said “changes are happening, and happening as the result of sport”.

He said policing changes were made as a result of hosting the 2007 Pan Am Games.

He concluded “our people are ready”.

Henrique Meirelles, President of the Central Bank of Brazil took the stage and outlined the economic situtation in Brazil including investments and employment. He reviewed the validity of of Rio 2016′s finacial plan.

Meirelles said Brazil has the 10th largest economy of the world and will soon be 5th.

Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janiero said that the World Cup in 2014 would be used as a springboard for a magnificent Olympic Games in 2016.

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Decision day at last

BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter

COPENHAGEN — That finish line is coming up fast.

Today’s the day Chicago learns whether it takes home Olympic gold … or sits as an also-ran in the race to host the 2016 Summer Games.

Uniforms pressed? Check. Oprah in town? Check. President Obama? Check.

It will all come to a head at 11:57 a.m., Chicago time, when the city that has won the right to host the 2016 Olympics will be announced in a dramatic ceremony.

Mayor Daley’s Olympic bid team — and competitors from Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo — spent the day before the final vote furiously lobbying the International Olympic Committee members on the eve of their vote for the 2016 Games.

The star power remained high — even before President Obama got on a plane Thursday night en route to Copenhagen.

Want a picture with Oprah? She was holding court in a restaurant. Interested in talking to a Dream Teamer or a Perfect 10? David Robinson and Nadia Comaneci roamed the halls of their Copenhagen hotel. How about a meeting with the first lady? She was listening.

Michelle Obama has been on a marathon campaign to lobby as many of the 100-plus members of the IOC as possible. Thursday, she took a break from her hotel suite meetings with IOC members to attend the opening ceremony at Copenhagen’s dazzling opera house. Wearing a sleeveless, apricot-colored dress, she greeted a steady stream of members and other VIPs.

She also took time to have lunch with the queen of Denmark.

Since her arrival Wednesday, Mrs. Obama has been meeting with the IOC voters — perhaps dozens — in a suite at the Marriott, the official IOC hotel, where she can sit and talk.

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If Chicago loses 2016 bid, don’t expect a 2nd effort soon

By David Greising

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has practically guaranteed Rio de Janeiro will be announced host city for the 2016 Olympics Friday in Copenhagen.

Da Silva even has boasted that he phoned Obama and urged him to come to Denmark — just to make Chicago vs. Rio a fair fight.

But something da Silva said Monday, before flying to Denmark, betrayed a tinge of worry. “This is a fight,” he said, according to an Associated Press account. “And if we don’t win, we’ll have to prepare for another one.”

No one from Chicago is talking that way.

Chicago’s 2016 bid is a make-or-break proposition. Look at what it took to put this bid together — a mayor who transitioned from reluctant to obsessed, a billionaire with time on his hands, a civic community willing to pony up another $50 million for a bid campaign just a few years after digging deep for the $475 million Millennium Park — and it’s obvious another bid by Chicago would not happen any time soon.

Daley will be off the scene by 2020 and has little incentive to mount a second bid. And Chicago’s civic community is tapped out.

No one will admit it. No one wants to talk this way and risk offending the International Olympic Committee, but Chicago is a one-and-done city. Let Madrid and Beijing come back with multiple bids. Chicago will take the route of Paris and New York, both of which after an affair with an Olympics bid last time acted ashamed they had entertained such silly dreams in the first place.

Da Silva, with his comments, practically has invited the Olympics voters to put Rio on hold.

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President Lula: Defeat for Rio 2016 is unthinkable

By Mike Rowbottom in Copenhagen

October 1 – The Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (pictured), today personified the Rio 2016 bid’s rubric of “Live your passion” here as he insisted that South America was ready to host its first Olympics – and not next time, but this time.

Asked if Rio would seek the 2020 Games in the event of losing out on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members’ vote, he responded: “I’m not regarding the idea that we will be defeated.

“This is the first time we are running, and we don’t want to be the father of the child, we want to be the child itself.

President Lula added that his final pitch to IOC members tomorrow would emphasise that Brazil was at “a magical moment” in terms of economic growth, and ready as never before to host an Olympics.

“No other place in the world has the certainty in its future that Brazil has,” he said.

“The self esteem of people is at its highest threshold following a magical moment of great possibility of financial growth, a possibility of improving the lives of the poorest people.

“In the past when Brazil has wanted to bid for big events people have said, ‘We can’t do it, we are a poor country, we are considered second class citizens.’

“Now we want to show the world ‘Yes, we can do it.

“We can organise the Games.

“We see the Olympics have only been held in highly developed countries, with the exception of Beijing last year and Mexico in 1968.

“Many of the Olympic Games have been in Europe, or the United States.

“Brazil is the only country in the largest 10 world economies not to have had the Games.

“Even in this global crisis Brazil is in a much better financial situation than the so-called rich countries.

“The crisis hit us last, and we were the first to get out of it.”

President Lula added that the arguments for Rio hosting the 2016 Games were the same as those he had used to win political elections in his country.

“A lot of people said I was not educated enough to be President, that I was working class, and I came from a trade union background.

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Cariocas hoping Olympics will give them new city

By TALES AZZONI (AP)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Rio’s citizens are anxiously awaiting Friday’s vote on the 2016 Olympics host, hoping a victory will transform the city.

Well known for its unrivaled natural beauty and fun-loving people, Rio is also remembered for its violent crime and the poverty of millions of people living in the city’s slums.

The Cariocas, as Rio citizens are known, believe the Olympics have the power to improve basic conditions and diminish some of the city’s biggest problems.

“If Rio gets the Olympics, like I hope, it will happen. I think everything will be better here,” said 38-year-old maid Juciara Mazelo. “The government will have to do everything it’s promising to do, and things can only improve. I think we would have more jobs, less poor people, less violence on the streets.”

More than 100,000 people are expected to pack Copacabana beach Friday to support Rio, which is competing against Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo, as it makes its presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen.

Rio is trying to become the first South American city to host the games. It tried to host the Olympics three times before — in 1936, 2004 and 2012 — but never made the final stages.

“We need this, we really do,” said 30-year-old nurse Soledade da Silva. “Things need to change around here, and I think they would if we win the Olympics. With all the construction, the investment, I think it would be easier to find jobs.”

A huge Carnival-like celebration is planned if Rio wins, in part because the Cariocas know they likely will be able to count on billions of dollars in potential investment that the prestigious event can bring to the city.

Brazilian officials are promising significant improvements on infrastructure, transportation, security and other areas if the city is awarded the games.

The IOC evaluation committee praised Rio in a report last month, saying the city sees the games as an opportunity to use sport as a “catalyst for social integration” and to leave “a lasting and affordable legacy.”

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the Olympics would bring “social transformation” to the city, the nation and the entire region.

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2016 Race Too Close To Call

Although Chicago is rated as a slight favourite to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, the BBC reports many commentators are describing the outcome as too close to call.

British International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Sir Craig Reedie said, “this is a very, very close race between four outstanding bids. Because the bids are so good, and because it is close, the last few hours are going to be even more exciting than usual”.

The city receiving the fewest votes will be eliminated round-by-round until one candidate has a majority.

IOC President Jacques Rogge told the BBC, “I believe it’s going to be very close – this is a trend we have seen in the last five to six years.

He added, “security – not only physical but also in terms of the organization – it is very important. We need a very good Olympic Village, state-of-the art venues, a good transportation system. If beyond that we can have a very good home team and a very warm public, the game is almost over”.

British bookmakers say that Chicago was pulling away in the last hours as the clear but not overwhelming favourite over Rio, with Madrid and Tokyo lagging, reports Fox. But Graham Sharpe, spokesman for betting agency William Hill said, “…don’t forget that Paris was the favourite to beat London the last time. The favourite doesn’t always win”.

The bookmakers of Ireland-based Paddy Power say there’s a clear favourite in the betting on the 2016 host city. Paddy Power has collected about 700 bets on who may be the 2016 host city, reports WBBM.

Sharon McHugh, spokeswoman for Paddy Power, says Chicago’s odds are 8-15, while Rio is in second place at 15-8. But McHugh agrees anything can happen. She said, “this time four years ago we thought Paris had it in the bag, so we could get a shock”.

McHugh says it’s President Obama’s plans to go to Copenhagen that have pushed the odds so heavily in Chicago’s favour.

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2016 Olympic Bid Timeline – How We Got Here

No one said this was a short process…

On October 2, 2009 the IOC membership at the 121st Session in Copenhagen will vote for the Host City of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Copenhagen was chosen as host city for this vote on February 8, 2006.  They won a 59-40 IOC vote against Cairo.

On August 30, 2006 Tokyo won their national nomination to bid for the Games over Fukuoka.

On September 1, 2006 Rio was nominated to bid by the Brazilian Olympic Committee.

On April 14, 2007 Chicago won a domestic bid over Los Angeles to become the official United States applicant for the Games.

On May 30, 2007 the Spanish Olympic Committee confirmed that Madrid would bid.

On August 31, 2007 Prague, Czech Republic announced their intent to bid for the Games.

On September 13, 2007 – seven bids finalized applications including Baku, Azerbaijan and Doha Qatar.

On January 14, 2008 bid committees submitted questionnaire responses to be used for initial assessments of the bids.

During the applicant stage all bids were strong, however Prague had extremely low public support and there were fears that the bid might withdraw from the race.

On June 5, 2008 in Athens the IOC created a shortlist based on an initial evaluation that excluded Baku, Prague and Doha.  While Doha scored lower than Rio – Doha was not included in the list of candidates because they planned to stage the Games outside of the IOC’s desired window due to the hot climate.

On March 26, 2009 at SportAccord in Denver all four bids presented to a large group of IOC members and sports leaders.

The Evaluation Commission led by Chairwoman Nawal El Moutawakel visited the four cities in April and May, 2009 for four days each.  The Commission toured proposed venues and reviewed the bid books with the bid committees in great detail.

On June 18, 2009 the four cities made special presentations to a large group of IOC members in Lausanne.

On September 2, 2009 the final evaluation report was released.  The report did not rank the cities but the language seems to favour the Rio de Janeiro and Chicago bids.

On October 2, 2009 in Copenhagen the four cities will present to IOC members for the last time just before a final vote for the 2016 Olympic Games host.

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