Paris 2024

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

"GDR effect" can easily be translated to "systematic use of performance enhancing drugs".

Yep

[Skybird]

The GDR effect in the past: it makes more sense maybe to compare German medal tables from the 1984 (USSR and East Germany boycotted), and 1988 games (USSR and East Germany claimed 1st and 2nd rank). In 1984, West Germany was 3rd, in 1988 4th/5th together with South Korea, depending on how you count totals versus golds).

[Eisenwurst]

Big National pride down here

[Ostfriese]

Oh, and before you go on bashing GDR doping: doping was by no means limited to East Germany alone, West Germany was not too far behind, only more subtle and with fewer long term consequences.

[Moonlight]

There has always been doping by athletes and they weren't limited to the GDR or the USSR but, this has to be said even though some people won't like it, no Western Nation had a state controlled doping plan like the Eastern European countries had, not then and not now.
What these other countries did have was individuals who had a lust for fame and glory vastly outweighing their abilities as an athlete, I won't name names, you already know who they are and, I believe State Controlled Doping is being resurrected by another communist country again, although WADA will deny that.

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by Moonlight

There has always been doping by athletes and they weren't limited to the GDR or the USSR but, this has to be said even though some people won't like it, no Western Nation had a state controlled doping plan like the Eastern European countries had, not then and not now.

Not controlled like that, but West Germany indeed had a wide-ranged doping program in the 1970s and 1980s that was funded by the government.


https://www.france24.com/en/20130805...es-says-report

[mapuc]

A man is seen climbing the Eiffel Tower, prompting an evacuation hours before closing ceremony

https://apnews.com/article/2024-olym...656af9b7d0e204

Markus

[Jimbuna]

[Skybird]

Thank God it's over. I felt disgusted several times too often to just sit there neutral and disinterested.

The disgusting opening "ceremony" already emphasized the accent of these games right from the start. The following two weeks kept that promise.

On the positive, the ballon on fire was and is a nice idea.

I read financially the games were ruinous for the tourism business in Paris. Hopes and expectations that were had before, apparently have not been met.


My verdict is: thumbs down. (And No, the Germans' worst-ever performance has not even anything to do with it).

[Jimbuna]

Must admit I only watched the finals that had a British competitor.

[mapuc]

I watched almost all kind of sport during this Olympic tournament and I watched mostly sports event where either Denmark or Sweden was a part of.

Today Denmark won the Gold medal in handball by beating Germany 39-26.

Not to forget the Swedish competitor Duplantis who toke the Gold in pole vault and even set a new world record 6.25 meters in same sport.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

You wouldn't have had much to cheer about then

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I read financially the games were ruinous for the tourism business in Paris. Hopes and expectations that were had before, apparently have not been met.

They never are, the only one who profits from olympic games is the IOC. They don't even properly finance the athletes, of which many have to either find a sponsor or fund their participation on their own.
I certainly don't want any Olympics hosted in Germany in the future, let alone in my region (Hamburg's bid for 2024 was fortunately thwarted by a referendum)

[Jimbuna]

Would be interesting to see the actually full hosting cost.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

They never are, the only one who profits from olympic games is the IOC. They don't even properly finance the athletes, of which many have to either find a sponsor or fund their participation on their own.
I certainly don't want any Olympics hosted in Germany in the future, let alone in my region (Hamburg's bid for 2024 was fortunately thwarted by a referendum)

I am with you on all that, however, while the financial boosts for regional businesses, traffic and infrastructure always are exaggerated when they get projected during planning, hotels and restaurants usally profit from the visitors durign the event. But not this time, I red, for a simple reason: not as many visitors came as was expected/hoped for. Or they did not stay as long as hoped, since prices seem to have been very high. Many tourists seem to have been shocked by the costs. And Paris, I think, was already expensive before the Olympics. The games upped that price niveau.

Just a random read I had.