Cities That Could Beat Chicago

Golfers, ruggers seek Olympic gold in 2016 for first time in 100 years or more

(NEWSER) - Medals for golf and rugby will be awarded at the 2016 Olympics for the first time in a century or more. The IOC voted today to reinstate the sports for the Rio de Janeiro games and provisionally accepted them for the 2020 Olympiad. Golf has not been played at the Olympics since its first appearance, in 1904, and ruggers haven’t been able to seek gold since 1924. The vote was 63-27 for golf, 81-8 for rugby, the AP notes. More»

IOC shows us the world still likes to thumb its nose at American power

(NEWSER) - The first-round knockout of Chicago’s Olympic bid speaks to an unpleasant fact, writes Mike Lopresti: “A lot of people out there don't like us. They don't care if President Obama is eloquent and the first lady is charming.” If it had come down to just Chicago and Rio, with South America never having hosted the games before, that would’ve been one thing. But “to be the first city eliminated speaks to something deeper. This was a repudiation.” More»

1-2 punch of job stats, Olympic decision gets a third stage

(NEWSER) - From worse-than-expected unemployment numbers to Chicago’s foiled Olympic bid, today was a lousy day for America, but Republicans reacted as if Christmas had come early. Soon after the jobs numbers hit, Glenn Thrush of Politico got a slew of GOP press releases. “Rep. Mike Pence literally hit the send button at 8:30 am, the moment the announcement” hit, says Thrush. More»

Good ideas and sober assessments made during bid should go forward

(NEWSER) - Chicago failed in its bid to land the Olympics, but look on the bright side, the Tribune urges: If the city builds on the bright ideas and redevelopment plans designed to sway the IOC, it can have all the benefits with none of the hassle. “Bidding for an Olympiad forced Chicago, its leaders and its citizens, to focus on what works and what doesn't,” the editors write. “It made all of us think to the future.” More»

(AP) - The 2016 Olympics are going to Rio de Janeiro, putting the games in South America for the first time. Rio beat surprise finalist Madrid in the last round of voting today in Copenhagen. Chicago was knocked out in the first round, Tokyo in the second. Rio had played heavily on the fact that South America has never previously hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly. More»