Scots don't get the feel good factor after the Olympics

[Pinkie Brown]

It was interesting to hear that the IOC wanted venues to be much closer to the host city following experiences in Beijing, so our bid may not have been succesful if we had attempted to spread the venues across GB. Seeing images of some of the venues for Rio 2016 under construction suggest they are not holding back but some are being shared with the World Cup too, which seems sensible.

The bid was awarded in 2005 & Beijing was three years later. The size of The UK ensured no event would be at any severe extreme anyway. Whatever location issue's that Beijing had, I doubt they would have had any bearing on the UK bid. I agree, the football venue's were probably a token gesture.

A country hosting The Olympics has on several occasions, hosted the World Cup within two years too. Germany, 72 & 74, Mexico 68 & 70 plus now Brazil. Handy for those winning bidders - Two for the price of one when it comes to stadium building logistics. Its a crying shame we won't have the World Cup here in 2018 or 22 thanks to those C*^%$£" at FIFA. Germany & Mexico have both hosted it twice since 1966. I know it would have been a fantastic spectacle for the country.

 

[Return of the Rev]

The world has been raving about our Olympics...

have they?

 

[Brovion]

Ryder cup

I was talking specifically about the Olympics.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

The bid was awarded in 2005 & Beijing was three years later. The size of The UK ensured no event would be at any severe extreme anyway. Whatever location issue's that Beijing had, I doubt they would have had any bearing on the UK bid. I agree, the football venue's were probably a token gesture.

A country hosting The Olympics has on several occasions, hosted the World Cup within two years too. Germany, 72 & 74, Mexico 68 & 70 plus now Brazil. Handy for those winning bidders - Two for the price of one when it comes to stadium building logistics. Its a crying shame we won't have the World Cup here in 2018 or 22 thanks to those C*^%$£" at FIFA. Germany & Mexico have both hosted it twice since 1966. I know it would have been a fantastic spectacle for the country.

It was stated on the media coverage that Equestrian were specifically moved close into London to overcome perceived problems at Bejing where the venue was several hours away. Curiously it didn't stop them hosting the sailing in Weymouth which has good attributes for sailing but isn't centrally located in terms of access from the rest of the UK or well served by its transport links, but the IOC seemed happy with that.

 

[Comedy Steve]

Given that a big chunk of funding towards sport, coaching programmes and sporting facilities across the UK comes from the National Lottery, if Scotland votes for independence I presume they will lose their share of this funding? Would they then receive the same level of funding from a 'Scottish Lottery'? I suspect they would not.

There's already a national lottery in Scotland, called 'eating any local meat pie'.

 

[SK1NT]

The bid was awarded in 2005 & Beijing was three years later. The size of The UK ensured no event would be at any severe extreme anyway. Whatever location issue's that Beijing had, I doubt they would have had any bearing on the UK bid. I agree, the football venue's were probably a token gesture.

A country hosting The Olympics has on several occasions, hosted the World Cup within two years too. Germany, 72 & 74, Mexico 68 & 70 plus now Brazil. Handy for those winning bidders - Two for the price of one when it comes to stadium building logistics. Its a crying shame we won't have the World Cup here in 2018 or 22 thanks to those C*^%$£" at FIFA. Germany & Mexico have both hosted it twice since 1966. I know it would have been a fantastic spectacle for the country.

Being a big footy fan and experiencing the successful and fun Olympics we have just hosted... I can't imagine anything would beat that... Bring on the Olympics again...

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

The success of the London Olympics especially in terms of sell out crowds, atmosphere and associated financial benefits makes me wonder if FIFA may now rue not opting for us to host a future World Cup. We have confirmed yet again that we can succesfully run the biggest sporting events and our crowds will turn out in huge numbers not only creating the feel good factor but also helping towards breaking even on costs compared to other parts of the World.

I know it is important to develop footie around the world and that old favourites like England are no longer flavour of the month with FIFA. Not least because we won't put up with the sleazy culture of Blatter and his cronies. I imagine that the World Cup in Brazil will be a relative success but am not sure about the Olympics.

Qatar and other new candidates for hosting World Cups may be happy to turn a blind eye to the ethics and politics at FIFA and no doubt have oil money to build the stadiums and cushion potential losses if the crowds don't come, even so I can't see the matches there having the same atmosphere.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

The world has been raving about our Olympics...

have they?

There was a very positive piece in today's Herald Sun in Melbourne today about how well the games were done.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I think if the Scots did go down the independence route (which none of my Scottish in-laws support), then they would very disappointed at the decisions some of their athletes would have to make. The success of these olympics was built on excellent funding and facilities across a number of sports.

Taking cycling as an example, were Scotland not part of the original world class performance plan then Hoy would never have had all his success and might even have had to consider riding for GB instead of Scotland in order to achieve at the highest level. That's why its no use breaking down medal wins by region - everyone benefits from the massive UK investment as one.

 

[Paddy B]

i think its disgusting that they are not aloud enter their national team

Why is it "disgusting" ?

Firstly Scotland is not an independant state and does not have the required sporting bodies to qualify as a competing nation.

Secondly who do you think would compete for this team? The top quality Scottish athletes from all sports will want access to the funding, coaches and facilities that Team GB provides. Any funding the scottish assembly could provide would put them towards the bottom of the table when it comes to competing nations at the Olympic games

 

[Pavilionaire]

I totally agree with the point about the success of the London Olympics making the vote to kick us out at Round 1 of World Cup 2018 look really stupid.

Blatter has f***ed up royally here; I buy the idea of taking football to new corners of the world but Russia followed by Qatar is a hell of a risk, and if the tournaments don't work out football will lose momentum.

As for the 5 Live Phone-in, the Scot at the start made the point that the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony is just 9 weeks before the Independence vote and they could easily do their own Danny Boyle-style Caledonian show to sway the Scottish populus back down the independent route.

I think the Olympics showed most people enjoy being British and were grateful of the opportunity to get behind Team GB. These SNP idiots will lose the vote, and we'll all be the better for it.

 

[teaboy]

I accept that. The part I'm struggling with, is why they'd be watching at all? Just so they get a chance to be outraged?

The Scots competing (Hoy, Murray, Kenny, Grainger, etc, etc) obviously all buy into the Team GB concept, or they wouldn't be there. The nationalists should be vilifying these people, rether than celebrating their 'Scottish success', surely?

The Jason Kenny from Bolton, Lancashire, England; or a different one?

 

[Bruntburger]

I hope they go independent and save us English some money.

They get more public money spent on them per head than us and the English pay for it!!

YouGov poll of the English (Jan 12)
52% wanted the Scots out
32% wanted the union
16% didn't care.

Funny seems 1 in 3 Scot's want out but only 1 in 3 English want them in!!!

 

[User removed 4]

I hope they go independent and save us English some money.
They get more public money spent on them per head than us and the English pay for it!!

YouGov poll of the English (Jan 12)
52% wanted the Scots out
32% wanted the union
16% didn't care.

Funny seems 1 in 3 Scot's want out but only 1 in 3 English want them in!!!

cue some embittered jock whining about the (myth that is) scots oil money.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The Jason Kenny from Bolton?

Him, yes.

Sue me.

 

[wardy wonder land]

I totally agree with the point about the success of the London Olympics making the vote to kick us out at Round 1 of World Cup 2018 look really stupid.

Blatter has f***ed up royally here; I buy the idea of taking football to new corners of the world but Russia followed by Qatar is a hell of a risk, and if the tournaments don't work out football will lose momentum.


If the FA has some balls ??!! they should do the absolute minimum for FIFA, i.e. play the minimum number of freindlies, pay the minimum amount of assoication fees, no free tickets, hotels, flights for FIFA fat-cats to matches in the UK, nolonger bid for any more tournaments, don't put any cadidates for for any positions in the organisation, push ahead with local rule tweaks i.e. goal-line technology etc, have video panels for "sportmanship reviews i.e. retrospective "blue card" for diving (2 blues = 1 yellow), no mid-winter break, make the FA cup the final game of the season i.e. go head-to-head on TV etc on CL nights, veto any rule changes, organisational changes until blatter is out

FIFA know that if there is any risk to the tournaments in Quatar etc - England could step-in at the last minute and hold a very succesful worldcup

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Andy Murray seems pretty chuffed about being part of Team GB

 

[Triggaaar]

I was talking specifically about the Olympics.

Oh I see. Most people find it easy to support England for football, UK for Olympics, and Europe for the Ryder cup. Whichever team someone from my area would qualify for, that's who I support. It's weird so many Scots find that concept difficult.

 

[teaboy]

Oh I see. Most people find it easy to support England for football, UK for Olympics, and Europe for the Ryder cup. Whichever team someone from my area would qualify for, that's who I support. It's weird so many Scots find that concept difficult.

I suppose it's different if you're on the less successful side of the line. Your country's success (eg Scotland's) gets overshadowed somewhat by your more successful neighbour AGAIN. There's plenty of history behind the aggrivation and I can see where the Scots are coming from to some extent. However, I think competing at the highest possible level is more important. Would Hoy have 2 gold medals if England and Scotland had competed separately? Probably not.

Out of interest do you 'only' support English athletes at the Commonwealth Games, or do you like to see Team GB athletes doing well in their own national colours?

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Andy Murray seems pretty chuffed about being part of Team GB

Marvelous stuff - although that Scottish lad who was in the mixed-doubles final didn't look quite so chuffed.