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Rio de Janeiro Wins 2016 Summer Olympic Bid; Chicago Knocked Out First 2

Posted on October 02, 2009 by Dean Hybl
Stunned onlookers hear the shocking news that Chicago was the first city knocked out of the Olympic Bid Selections.

Stunned onlookers hear the shocking news that Chicago was the first city knocked out of the Olympic Bid Selections.

It wasn’t a complete surprise that the City of Chicago didn’t receive the invitation to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. However, what was a complete shock – and a punch to the stomach – was the fact that Chicago was the first of the four cities eliminated.

The bid eventually went to the City of Rio de Janeiro, meaning that 2016 will be the first time that the Olympics will be held in South America.

To many, Rio and Chicago were seen as co-favorites with it expected that the decision would be very close. The other two finalists, Madrid and Japan, were generally seen as long-shots.

Many thought that when President Barack Obama decided to become the first American President to attend the Olympic bid presentations, America may have sealed the return of the Summer Olympics to America for the first time in 20 years.

But that proved not to be the case. Evidently, America’s bid was not well thought of by the voting members of the International Olympic Committee and even a last minute appeal by an internationally popular president was not enough.

Now, of course, the question becomes why not?

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      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is the only football player ever to capture college football’s top individual award twice.

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