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NZ Rugby World column, June 2005
The two front runners to me appear to be Paris and London. New York has not embraced the idea at all and is obsessed with its own NBA play-offs and the boys of summer in Major League baseball. They really don’t have the stadia or the infrastructure, nor do I believe do they have global political support. Mayor Bloomberg is pushing aggressively but the good citizens of New York just don’t seem interested. They view sport in a domestic, insular way and the Olympic Committee puts high value on the support of the locals. The US after all is the only country that has a World Series where only the US and Canada participates! |
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I am writing this from Madrid which has the potential to be competitive but there does not seem to be Government will. Barcelona transformed itself on the back of the Olympics but the rather more haughty Castilians have not reached out and embraced the idea. And the international profile of the City in sporting terms has been tarnished by the relative failure of the high priced Galacticos of Real Madrid to deliver once again. London and Paris seem neck and neck. I met with one of the leaders of the London bid, London Mayor Ken Livingstone and he is a passionate, committed advocate of the Games. It will transform parts of London and he is rallying major public support for the Olympics. Sebastian Coe is a distinguished Olympian and is leading the bid having replaced Barbara Cassani, the ex-CEO of the budget airline Go. He brings to bear credibility, authenticity and political skills of the highest order. London hasn’t hosted the Games since 1948 and has a compelling story with a well orchestrated campaign. Paris has entered the fray in a spectacular way behind superb marketing and superb facilities. They have the edge in terms of stadia and logistics with the opportunity to shine on the world stage by staging a magnificent 2007 Rugby World Cup. The bid appears to have the support of all political parties and the people of Paris. My guess is it’ll go down to the wire between London and Paris and last minute diplomacy will win the day for the French. |
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The Olympics continues to be the greatest show on earth and I’ll never forget watching the New Zealand team at the opening ceremony in Athens. I was trackside and it was a fantastic feeling to see the welcome the New Zealanders got from a global crowd. There is no other event that brings together so many nations in such perfect harmony and celebration. The Games transformed Athens into a three week party and I believe helped improve the image of Greece as a tourist destination globally in a major way. The next Games of course will be held in Beijing and I’m optimistic that they will be a fantastic showcase for China. I was on a whistle-stop book launch tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou earlier this month with Rowena and my daughter Rebecca and the excitement around the Games is growing. Beijing is a wonderful city and the Olympics could be a great reason for New Zealanders to visit China which should be our biggest growth market opportunity for years to come. If only we could get Rugby Sevens into the Olympics quickly then I am sure this would help seed our great game on the world’s greatest stage. The score was a travesty. Argentina deserved to win by 10 points. Some important lessons were clear. Despite Woodward taking 45 players, probably only 20 are of true test quality. People like John Hayes, Cooper, Hickie and Byrne are unlikely to play a major role in New Zealand. Their forwards lacked pace and the backs lacked imagination. I can’t wait for the New Zealand Maori to get their hands on this lot.
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