Why Chicago Lost the Olympic Battle

With today's decision, many in the U.S. are wondering why Chicago was passed up for the 2016 Olympic Games. We sent a full-proof plan to Copenhagen: President and Michelle Obama. How did it not work? Well, let's start with Chicago's problems first.

In the last few weeks, Chicago has been the victim of its own people. There have been multiple murders of children/young adults throughout the neighborhoods of the city by their own peers. This drew bad attention to the city. If they can't handle their own problems, how could Chicago possibly host the Games and the international issues that come along with it like terrorism? Also, a recent poll by The Chicago Tribune found that 45% of the city's inhabitants didn't even want the Olympics held there. Why? For exactly the same reason mentioned previously: these people mostly wanted the money spent on Chicago's own problems, not new stadiums!

But there were three other amazing cities involved in this process and they each had great arguments as to why the Games should be held in their locales. Let's start with the second loser behind Chicago: Tokyo. Both the U.S. and Japan have held games in the last 13 years (In fact, the U.S. has held two). Tokyo, too, had luke-warm feelings about the games and ultimately fell even after putting aside $4 Billion in infrastructure money for the games. Madrid was the final city to fall (its second loss after losing the 2012 bid to London). The problem with Madrid's bid seems to be that the Olympic committee hasn't awarded two consecutive summer games to a single continent so it may have a chance on its third bid for 2020. Not a steadfast rule, but an unspoken guideline.

Finally, there was Rio. Maybe the last of the four cities expected to win. Rio de Janeiro has had its problems (to say the least) with crime which was the major argument against the city. There is another type of crime that the committee doesn't have to worry about when choosing Rio as the host: terrorism. When asked about this, President Silva stated,"We don't have attacks, we don't have bombs." Also, the momentum for "breakthroughs" following the Beijing games was unstoppable. This will be the first Olympic games held in South America.

No matter where the Olympics are held, they will be amazing as they always are. Here's to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver!