There’s little interest in Olympics
didn’t seem quite so important that day.
But, as it is, I can’t name morethan two Olympians on the entire U.S. team. I know Lindsey Vonn, not so much because she’s a fabulous alpineski racer, but because she used to date Tiger Woods. Ialso know Shani Davis — a speedskater, they tell me — because I was fascinated by his bitter complaints about the format used to pick the flag-be arer for the opening ceremonies Friday. You might have heard he wasn’t selected.He then played the racecard. So much for peace, loveand brotherhood. Of course, peace, love and brother hood disappeared from the Olympics a long time ago, precisely on the morning of 9/11/2001.Since then, the catchwords are security and the threat of terrorism. The Olympics aren’t worth it anymore. I remember thinking and writing that before the 2016Rio de Janeiro Games. I’m more convinced now. The Olympics time has passed.
Pyeongchang will spend about$13 billion on these Games, a big chunk of it on security. It’s fair to wonder if the region will get any kind of return on its investment. It’s muchmore likely it will regret getting involved with the Olympics.
Look at what happened to Rio de Janeiro. It still hasn’t recovered economically. The boost it expected from tourism hasn’t happened. Crime and political corruption are up. So is unemployment. The region can’t afford to pay its state employees, teachers, hospital workers and police. Nor can it afford to maintain most of the facilities used during the Games, including its prized Maracana soccer stadium. The place is a dump.
I’m thinking Rio would lovet o have a do-over of the day it was awarded those Olympics.
“Thanks, but no thanks. Let some other fools be the host city.”
Fear sfor what’s going to happen to Pyeongchang after the Games are prevalent and tangible.The signs aren’t encouraging. Just one example: Its 35,000-seat stadium, built for$109 million, will be torn down after being used just fourtimes — for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games and the Winter Para ly m pi cs. Cheaper to tear it down than maintain it. That is so sad.
If the Pyeongchang Games do have a redeeming quality, it’s that they have thawed, at least temporarily, the frigid relationship between South Korea and North Korea. The two countries marched under a united Korean flag during the opening ceremonies. They are putting a unified women’s hockey team on the ice. Somehow, all of that seems important with the president of North Korea and the president of the United States bragging about how they have a button on their desk to trigger nuclear war.
Sorry, I’m still not watching.
I’m also not happy that the 2028Games have been awarded to Los Angeles and that Salt Lake City plans to bidfor the 2030 Games. I know Los Angeles finished the1984 Olympics with a $225 million surplus and I know the facilities built for the 2002 Olympicsin Salt Lake City still are being used and are flourishing.But the world has changed since those Games. I’m afraid what it will belike in 10 years.
Doyou really believe the Olympics will be worth it?