Weekend Links

Some links to peruse at your leisure late in the weekend...

• The Associated Press gathers reactions to Pyeongchang's winning bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.
• The AP also reports that IOC head Jacques Rogge would be 'delighted' if the US put together a bid for the 2020 Summer Games.  The US, of course, has not hosted since the Richard Jewel games in 1996 in Atlanta.  You might also remember Chicago's failed bid to host the 2016 Summer Games, despite the appearance of Barack Obama at the IOC vote in Copenhagen in 2009.  At issue, yet again, is the lingering worldwide resentment that the United States Olympic Committee takes a 20% cut of all Olympic sponsorship deals and nearly 13% of broadcasting fees.  The IOC, and basically all member countries, would like to see those numbers drop considerably. At present, only Rome is considered to have officially thrown its hat in the ring for 2020.  I can't recommend the site gamesbids.com enough if you want to stay on top of this; the site is already reporting that Istanbul, Madrid and South Africa are entertaining the idea of bidding.  Oh, and the Netherlands would like to bid for the 2028 Olympics, which are expected to be held in space.
• While the entire IOC voting process is a different essay for a different time, German soccer legend Franz Beckenbauer was none too pleased with the other European IOC member not voting for Munich.  Beckenbauer was all fired up (and I've now read this in a few places) at countries like Italy, which allegedly cast its ballots for Korea in order to protect its Rome 2020 bid.
• The Netherlands Antilles lost their IOC recognition at the IOC meeting in Durban.  Why?  Well, it has to do with the fact that the Netherlands has done some government restructuring; as of late last year, the Dutch Antilles is no more.  The union of islands was dissolved and all the islands are now explicitly under the Dutch Crown and, since the IOC changed their constitution in 1996, a land must be explicitly independent to gain a National Olympic Committee.  As such, the few athletes that competed for the Netherlands Antilles in 2008 in Beijing will have the right to compete in 2012 under the Olympic flag and then beyond that under the Netherlands flag.  What that really means, more than likely, is the end to any Olympians from the islands. 
• And finally, the IOC sent a delegation to the West Bank to work their diplomacy magic.  The IOC is hoping for greater cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian sportsmen and to allow easier passage for coaches, athletes and equipment in and out of the West Bank.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and the afterglow of the big US win in the Women's World Cup.