# Why are the Olympics not held in Hong Kong?



## hkth (Sep 15, 2005)

DiggerD21 said:


> Maybe no space left? Or maybe because it is a matter of prestige and Beijing maybe didn't allow a bid by Hong Kong?





lopt said:


> New Territories have a lot of space.


lopt, NT has a lot of space, but much of them are hilly with country parks and marine parks make the actual usable land limited.


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## Dallas star (Jul 6, 2006)

Ok so even ppl from Hk agree it shouldn't be hosted there so Bejing is the best space then!


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

What are you guys carrying on about? If you want to get the Olympics, then put in a bid. I was pretty surprised when Sydney got the Olympics in 2000 after we here in Melbourne got them in 1956 ... with just 20 million people, we're only a very small paw-print on this globe.

You think you should have the Olympics rather than Beijing? You should have fought harder. Australian cities bid several times before Sydney got it ... my own city bid, even though it had hosted the Olympics in 1956. I have to confess I was surprised and embarassed (but also very pleased) when Sydney won the bid. 20 million people? I thought we'd already had our shot.

They're not awarded to countries, they're awarded to cities.

So what are you going to do now? Let me ask you why you wanted it in the first place. Is Hong Kong- which is recognized separately from the PRC by the IOC- a sporting nation? Maybe I'll get some guy turn up on my front door to convince me. I'm not much of a sportsman myself ... no way ... but that's the Australian thing, and I love to see Aussies reaping those gold medals ... they're our national heroes, but all the same, it's just a game.

So what are you HKguys going to do? Boo when the PRC athletes win and take comfort if the transit system breaks down ? That's not what the Olympics were meant to be about ... if you think you're better than the girls and guys from Beijing, well get in there and beat them! And, whether you win or lose, be gracious about it! It's just a race!

Respect the winner for spewing his/her guts out! They worked for it!

_______________________________________

The IOC recognizes over 200 political or national entites: that means, if say, they decided to roster the Olympic Games to each nation in turn, you might be waiting 800 years before you got your own games (since they occur every four years). 

You want Olympic Games in Hong Kong? Well, go out and bid for it. You could be surprised (as I was when Sydney scored again for this tiny nation). But my feeling is that it's Africa's and South America's and South Asia's turn: so I would be very surprised if Taipei or Hong Kong scored the Games in 2016. But I have absolutely no connection to the IOC, nor, for that matter, do I really care who wins (if they're not Australian!)

I have to ask though, what's it all about? Money? forget it. That's why East Timor, for instance, will probably never host the Olympics. It's crap ... The Games cost money ... heaps of it. How many people bought stuffed echidnas, made in China, in Sydney, 2000?

National Pride? Well that's another matter. When that sole East Timorese athlete burst into the stadium at the end of the 2000 Olympics, everyone cheered, and everyone burst into tears. Don't think he won anything, but he was there.

There are earlier stories... guys in the marathon who were nearly dying ... and their competitors cared more about them than victory.

Figure it out.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

If you asking me, HK *doesn't* need the Olympics. But if they want the equestrian event be held in HK, it's fine.


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

Someone's angry ^^, what's with that guy


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Recent Summer Games
1996 - Atlanta
2000 - Sydney
2004 - Athens
2008 - Beijing

Looks like the Games won't rotate back to Asia in 2016. The IOC has been trying to bring the Games to South America and Africa. Those countries don't feature too high on the medal count, but I doubt the IOC puts too much emphasis on medal count on an Olympic bid. Otherwise the Games won't leave the US.

Part of the legacy that the IOC wants to bring is the sporting culture and media fame so there can be a long-term impact on the sports scene. From that regard, hosting the Games in a place where the sporting culture is weak may even be more appealing. 

The logic that a city *needs* the games is quite flawed. Cities should be investing in their infrastructure continuously. The Olympics may bring some extraordinary items on the construction timeline, but cities should not be depending on these big events to get their regular housecleaning schedule back on track.

Hong Kong desires the economic spinoff from a major international sporting event, which is why the government decided to bid for the 2006 Asian Games, and bid and win the 2009 East Asian Games.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> Recent Summer Games
> 1996 - Atlanta
> 2000 - Sydney
> 2004 - Athens
> ...


If the Olympics would host the games in Africa, South Africa is still a prefered choice.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

WANCH said:


> If the Olympics would host the games in Africa, South Africa is still a prefered choice.


I don't think the IOC has a preference over which country in Africa or South America should host. Ultimately, it's the decision of the member countries based on the bids and the politics behind it. During the 2004 vote, Buenos Aires was the first city dropped while Cape Town was the third city dropped. 

Both cities did not return for 2008 or 2012.

Voting Process : http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/past_election_uk.asp#top


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

its more of a question of local interest and eligibility, I think, since many of these cities have frequently been judged to lack the ability to host an olympics, which is the primary reason they've been rejected.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

World Cup is going to be in South Africa in 2010; so the trend of international sport is going into Africa now.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

Yardmaster said:


> So what are you HKguys going to do? Boo when the PRC athletes win and take comfort if the transit system breaks down ? That's not what the Olympics were meant to be about ... if you think you're better than the girls and guys from Beijing, well get in there and beat them! And, whether you win or lose, be gracious about it! It's just a race!


I am a sport guy, so I guess I can answer you this.

We do "boo" the PRC atheles when they are going against HKSAR athelets. It is PRC vs HK, and HK is the home team, what do you think? Of course, go with home. A classic olympic match would be the 2004 Olympic Table Tennis Men's Double Final game, it was PRC vs HK. HKer did support the HK's team not the PRC team.

But when PRC is going against other athelets without HK athelets in it, we support the PRC team. PRC is our country, and we support our team, too.

So in a sport event, for me and many others sport supporters, HK > PRC > rest of the world.


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

Here's a quasi-off-topic question: does anyone think HKSAR would want to/ever be able to join the Commonwealth (and its C'wealth Games)?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Hong Kong was part of the Commonwealth until the handover.


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## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

> Hong Kong was part of the Commonwealth until the handover.


Why has it not decided to retain it's position though?


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

I think its ideological and symbolic, since its been returned to the PRC


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

And it's politic.


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## eusebius (Jan 5, 2004)

Now, if and when the Olympic Committee would have taken the sensible option, surely Paris would have won over London - most of the Olympic stadia and villagae have already been built. Yet, London's keenness won the nomination in the end.

Whether the build up to Beijing 2008 is false or not, I'm not really the one to judge that.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

_00_deathscar said:


> Why has it not decided to retain it's position though?


The Queen needs to be the Head of State to qualify.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

samsonyuen said:


> Here's a quasi-off-topic question: does anyone think HKSAR would want to/ever be able to join the Commonwealth (and its C'wealth Games)?


Somehow, Mozambique is now in the Commonwealth.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

Yardmaster said:


> Somehow, Mozambique is now in the Commonwealth.


Here is your answer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique#Foreign_relations


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

EricIsHim said:


> Here is your answer:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambique#Foreign_relations


Thank-you. There is much more to ponder here. We hosted Mozambique here in Melbourne, last year.


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## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> The Queen needs to be the Head of State to qualify.


To participate in the Commonwealth Games? Aren't almost all the Commonwealth Participants EX-British colonies?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

_00_deathscar said:


> To participate in the Commonwealth Games? Aren't almost all the Commonwealth Participants EX-British colonies?


Some ex-British colonies still have the Queen as the Head of State, such as Canada and Australia.


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

hkskyline said:


> Some ex-British colonies still have the Queen as the Head of State, such as Canada and Australia.


But they are considered independent sovereign nations? Canada doesn't even have the Union Jack on its flag anymore...

I guess I have to do some wiki reading

edit: just hastily did some reading, apparently they are called federal constitutional monarchy, with the monarch serving as the leader of the executive branch, but the government run in adherence to the constitution, which may or may not give the official head of state any real power. 

I suppose that's why Australia and Canada have Prime Ministers but no Presidents.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

gladisimo said:


> But they are considered independent sovereign nations? Canada doesn't even have the Union Jack on its flag anymore...
> 
> I guess I have to do some wiki reading
> 
> ...


Yes, Canada is a constitutional monarchy, and the Queen is a symbolic Head of State while the elected government runs the show. However, the protocol is to ask the Governor General, who is the Queen's representative, to call an election. Yet at the same time it is an independent nation.


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## gladisimo (Dec 11, 2006)

hkskyline said:


> Yes, Canada is a constitutional monarchy, and the Queen is a symbolic Head of State while the elected government runs the show. However, the protocol is to ask the Governor General, who is the Queen's representative, to call an election. Yet at the same time it is an independent nation.


I suppose its one of those many things that are merely formalities and are, in a sense, anachronisms (like the electoral college in the USA (though its a technicality that can swing an election one way or another))

Sometimes politics really get confusing...

I wonder, then, if Hong Kong holds the political power to somehow squeeze in the Queen as its head of State (though I guess that wouldn't work, since its not a true sovereign state?)... there could be some loophole around it?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

gladisimo said:


> I suppose its one of those many things that are merely formalities and are, in a sense, anachronisms (like the electoral college in the USA (though its a technicality that can swing an election one way or another))
> 
> Sometimes politics really get confusing...
> 
> I wonder, then, if Hong Kong holds the political power to somehow squeeze in the Queen as its head of State (though I guess that wouldn't work, since its not a true sovereign state?)... there could be some loophole around it?


Since, the handover, the Queen's role has been dropped. I doubt Beijing would be very happy with keeping the British Head of State in a Chinese territory.  They even played the British national anthem when Hong Kong won an Olympic gold in Atlanta.


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## tr (May 30, 2004)

hkskyline said:


> Chinese Taipei is a separate member of the IOC, so they can bring forth a bid. Depending on the political relations at the time, maybe even Beijing will support and give them a vote.


Sorry to drag this thread off topic but .........I think the bidding process for the 2009 East Asian Games is a good indicator of just how far China will go to stop Taiwan from hosting international sporting events. To be fair, Hong Kong had absolutely no interest in the games until the last minute (three months before the deadline) when it became apparent that Mongolia was going to drop out. If Hong Kong doesn't step forward Taipei would have been the uncontested winner. 

Just so there isn't any misunderstanding, I should point out that Hong Kong is a great city that is certainly capable of hosting the games. I just thought the political circumstances that lead to it becoming the host city were worthy of mention.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

There's always politics in any sporting events bid. However, Hong Kong was interested in hosting a major sporting event, and that began with the 2006 Asian Games bid. After that bid failed, the scale was downsized so East Asian Games came on the block instead.


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## Sen (Nov 13, 2004)

Many countries who take part in Commonwealth games or are even in commonwealth do not have Queen as head of a state, countries like India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore have their own head of state but are full members of commonwealth and take part in commonwealth games, Queen as head of state is not a requirement but a country needs to be INDEPENDENT and SOVEREIGN to become a member.


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## Calvin W (Nov 5, 2005)

Why doesn't Hong Kong host the Olympics?

Maybe because they have never bid for the games?


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## Mo Rush (Nov 13, 2004)

hilarious thread


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## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> Some ex-British colonies still have the Queen as the Head of State, such as Canada and Australia.


Some....India for example doesn't.

So...?


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

Sen said:


> Many countries who take part in Commonwealth games or are even in commonwealth do not have Queen as head of a state, countries like India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore have their own head of state but are full members of commonwealth and take part in commonwealth games, Queen as head of state is not a requirement but a country needs to be INDEPENDENT and SOVEREIGN to become a member.


Almost ... at the last Commonwealth Games, not only Mozambique but Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Alderney, Jersey and Guernsey all fielded teams ... also Norfolk Island.

Didn't see anyone from Pitcairn island, though.


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## will.exe (Aug 9, 2006)

The fact is it is the CITY that bids for the Olympics, not the country. Hong Kong simply didnt (hasnt?) ever bid for the games. I don't know why, perhaps its a matter of public opinion. 

And the first Olympics do not have to go to a capital city. Canada's first games were held in Montreal.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

will.exe said:


> The fact is it is the CITY that bids for the Olympics, not the country. Hong Kong simply didnt (hasnt?) ever bid for the games. I don't know why, perhaps its a matter of public opinion.
> 
> And the first Olympics do not have to go to a capital city. Canada's first games were held in Montreal.


And none of the Olympics held in the US, Australia, Spain or Canada were held in the Capital.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

_00_deathscar said:


> Some....India for example doesn't.
> 
> So...?


Hong Kong's existence as a British colony was a major sore point for the Chinese, hence any affiliation such as the Commonwealth after the handover would be very inappropriate to Beijing. For example, Canada parted from the British Empire in relatively peaceful terms, hence the Queen remains the Head of State.


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## swallowave (Oct 18, 2006)

because you can't even spell the word "Beijing" correctly:cheers:


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## Gaeus (Mar 21, 2007)

*China is trying to Open its door to Western Society and Beijing is the key*

Hong Kong is already a well-know city to the Western Society for a very long time. Beijing, on the other hand, is still starting to open its doors. Hong Kong can compete to be an Olympic Host. They just need to make another artificial island just like the way they did in their Airport. 

However, there is no need. Hong Kong is already popular. Hosting Olympics is just a headache to them. They do not need to spend billions of American dollars to make them popular. Plus, the real problem they have is they are still trying to adjust to their new country China. You don't want your new country to be more jealous, do you?

But recently, big cities such as New York, London, Paris and Moscow competed to host the Olympics (London won so hifi to 2012). That is totally rare. Those large cities don't usually do that. Globalization must be a big factor and they want to be more recognize even if they are already popular. Its just a guess thou.


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## Sen (Nov 13, 2004)

lol u can money off it if managed properly.


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