2020 Games bidders locked in tight race ahead of vote
The race for three cities hoping to land the 2020 summer Olympics will go down to the wire after two years of campaigning as Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo grapple with their own problems ahead of the September 7 vote.
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Each of the three cities have long highlighted their own assets and the advantages they bring to the Olympic movement should they be chosen to succeed 2016 Rio de Janeiro as the next summer Games hosts.
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Tokyo, which failed to land the 2016 Olympics and is seen by some as having a slight advantage over its rival bidders, may be advertising its bid as a solid choice for the IOC, but the 2011 deadly earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster at Fukushima is still a top news story.
http://news.yahoo.com/2020-games-bidders-locked-tight-race-ahead-vote-010506230--oly.html;_ylt=A2KJjb1kDSRSPzgAwsHQtDMD
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Here is why I deem this "big news". Look at all three cities: Istanbul, Madrid, and Tokyo
Each of them have potential problems. Tokyo is not far from the Fukashima plant that continues to spiral out of control. Istanbul is in an area where several neighboring countries are unstable (though it is far north of both Syria and Lebanon), Spain has had financial problems and had a huge IMF bailout.
Athens hosted the Olympics 2004, London in 2012 both in Europe. Bejing in 2008.
Madrid is in Europe, Istanbul sits right on the edge of Europe, Tokyo is in Asia. So either Europe is going to get it for the 3rd time in the 21st century or Asia will for the 2nd time.
I was talking about this in the thread about the Fukashima plant with the radiation concerns. Personally I think this takes Japan out of the running. Istanbul deserves a chance to host it since they have never done so. Madrid would be a safe choice.