Concerns about the 2018 Winter Olympics

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skatingguy

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I thought we had a thread regarding the rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and whether the Olympics will be moved or cancelled but I can't find it now. If it does exist, if someone could just add this to that thread that would be appreciated.

France threatens to skip Olympics over North Korea-U.S. tensions
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/france-olympics-north-korea-us-tensions-security-1.4301518
The headline overplays the quote in the article. France's sports minister said in a radio interview that if the security of the athletes cannot be guaranteed they would not be sending a team to the Olympics. This seems like a pretty basic idea but I guess just the idea that governments of competing nations now have to think about whether their athletes will be safe means it's a concern for the Olympics.
 
Yep, I've been thinking about that increasingly, and I was just discussing it with friends earlier today. The whole thing is pretty scary and brings up memories of Athens, sadly. The so-called 'rocket man' in North Korea is certainly aware that South Korea is gearing up to hold the Olympics. It would be extremely difficult to change the venue at this juncture. I can see more than just France deciding to pull out. :(
 
I've been worried about this, but I also wonder if North Korea will do anything. North Korea does, after all, have athletes that compete at the Olympics in various sports, and some may be at these Olympics if they qualify. I'll be a lot more worried if North Korea has no one qualify.
 
^^ North Korea has a very good up-and-coming pair team in Tae Ok Ryom and Ju Sik Kim who have an excellent chance of qualifying for the Olympics. I'm not sure about other sports, but I would imagine they have some speed skaters too, and maybe skiers and/or ski jumpers and snowboarders, or luge perhaps.

The security would have to be extremely tight for an Olympics in South Korea, but I imagine that security measures have been ratcheted up for awhile and everywhere these days, especially for large sports events.
 
Spun Silver said:
I've been worrying about this a lot. Tickets are not selling, either. I don't think athletes should be put at risk. It's about time for a plan B, IMO.
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The question is whether the IOC has thought ahead about contingency plans, having already known for some time of the high alert global security concerns that are percolating due to North Korea's dictator. Unless the IOC's heads have been firmly planted in the sand. South Korean officials should also have had this concern on the front burner even when they put in their hosting bid.

skatingguy said:
the idea that governments of competing nations now have to think about whether their athletes will be safe means it's a concern for the Olympics.
Click to expand...

But the concern for keeping athletes safe at events of this magnitude is not a new situation, especially not post 1972 Athens Olympics. Obviously, the current worries have become more pressing due to the regional threats. But, as I said earlier, even when the bid by South Korea was first put in and accepted, it seems logical there should have been security concerns discussed, along with back-up contingency plans.
 
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Spun Silver said:
I've been worrying about this a lot. Tickets are not selling, either. I don't think athletes should be put at risk. It's about time for a plan B, IMO.
Click to expand...
From what I gather, the problem with ticket sales is more about low demand domestically than internationally. I'd expect tensions with North Korea to affect international sales more than domestic ones. Could there be other issues, e.g. timing, price, lack of tradition in some of the winter sports, and of course - no Yuna Kim?
 
Well, honestly I think that someone like Kim Jong Un couldn't care less about a handful of North Korean athletes competing at the Olympic Games in PyeongChang. Life doesn't count much in North Korea.

However, I don't think the North Koreans are suicidal and will attack South Korea or any U.S. military base. But with the situation being so tense a war could start just because of a misunderstanding which is scary enough.
 
Zemgirl said:
From what I gather, the problem with ticket sales is more about low demand domestically than internationally. I'd expect tensions with North Korea to affect international sales more than domestic ones. Could there be other issues, e.g. timing, price, lack of tradition in some of the winter sports, and of course - no Yuna Kim?
Click to expand...

Time is not good - The Winter Olympics overlaps the Lunar New Year holidays in 2018.
Lack of tradition - Definitely. As for as I know, short track is the only popular winter sports in Korea.
 
aftershocks said:
But the concern for keeping athletes safe at events of this magnitude is not a new situation, especially not post 1972 Athens Olympics. Obviously, the current worries have become more pressing due to the regional threats. But, as I said earlier, even when the bid by South Korea was first put in and accepted, it seems logical there should have been security concerns discussed, along with back-up contingency plans.
Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but don't you mean the 1972 Munich Olympics?
 
skatingguy said:
I thought we had a thread regarding the rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and whether the Olympics will be moved or cancelled but I can't find it now. If it does exist, if someone could just add this to that thread that would be appreciated.

France threatens to skip Olympics over North Korea-U.S. tensions
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/france-olympics-north-korea-us-tensions-security-1.4301518
The headline overplays the quote in the article. France's sports minister said in a radio interview that if the security of the athletes cannot be guaranteed they would not be sending a team to the Olympics. This seems like a pretty basic idea but I guess just the idea that governments of competing nations now have to think about whether their athletes will be safe means it's a concern for the Olympics.
Click to expand...

Yes, I began a thread specifically about the impacts on the upcoming OWG in one of the premium fora but it was shut down because there already was a general Korean Tensions thread in "Politically Incorrect." I absolutely agree that the issue merits its own thread. I applaud you for starting one here. Hopefully it will stay up this time & not be shut down by the censors!
 
seabm7 said:
For example, the North Korean Taekwondo team visited South Korea last June. There the North Korean IOC member Chang met South Korean President Moon.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2017/06/24/0200000000AEN20170624002851315.html
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That's like when the U.S. table tennis team visited China when Nixon was President. It isn't even remotely comparable to a multi-nation competition, so it is no indication that North Korea would even consider sending a team to the Olympics. It didn't send athletes to the 1988 Summer Olympics, and ,as far as I know has never sent athletes to events like the Asian Games or Four Continents when they have been held in South Korea.
 
Spun Silver said:
I've been worrying about this a lot. Tickets are not selling, either. I don't think athletes should be put at risk. It's about time for a plan B, IMO.
Click to expand...

I can't imagine that any plan B could realistically happen. We're now barely 6 months away, how could any other country possibly mount such a massive event in such a short time? Seems like it's South Korea or nothing.
 
SpeedySucks said:
North Korea competed at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
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And the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. I know that Hong Un Jong won a gold medal on vault.

clairecloutier said:
I can't imagine that any plan B could realistically happen. We're now barely 6 months away, how could any other country possibly mount such a massive event in such a short time? Seems like it's South Korea or nothing.
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Correct. Hoping for the games to be moved is a flat out fantasy. They will either be held or canceled.
 
clairecloutier said:
I can't imagine that any plan B could realistically happen. We're now barely 6 months away, how could any other country possibly mount such a massive event in such a short time? Seems like it's South Korea or nothing.
Click to expand...
I think it says right in the article posted to begin the thread, that there is no Plan B.
 
North Korea is one of the worst countries in the world.

But is has never attacked another independend state since 1953. The US and Europe sent their soldiers through half of the world instead.

North Korea will not attack another country because this would define the end of their country and the death of millions of people.
 
Didn't the North Korean pairs team compete at 4CC last year in Pyeongchang? And I believe the team spent some time this summer training in Montreal, per either Castelli or Tran's (can't remember which) Instagram.

In any event, i'm sure South Korea has been planning and training for security since they got the bid, and I doubt Kim Jong-Un would attack South Korea during the Olys (or any other time)...he knows that every country in the Games would join together to blow him and his country to bits.
 
Debbie S said:
Didn't the North Korean pairs team compete at 4CC last year in Pyeongchang? And I believe the team spent some time this summer training in Montreal, per either Castelli or Tran's (can't remember which) Instagram.
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Yes, the team just missed qualifying for the Olympics at Worlds last year, but they are on the entry list for Nebelhorn. I believe they are the only NK athletes from across all sports still with a shot at qualifying for 2018.
 
aftershocks said:
The question is whether the IOC has thought ahead about contingency plans, having already known for some time of the high alert global security concerns that are percolating due to North Korea's dictator. Unless the IOC's heads have been firmly planted in the sand. South Korean officials should also have had this concern on the front burner even when they put in their hosting bid.



But the concern for keeping athletes safe at events of this magnitude is not a new situation, especially not post 1972 Athens Olympics. Obviously, the current worries have become more pressing due to the regional threats. But, as I said earlier, even when the bid by South Korea was first put in and accepted, it seems logical there should have been security concerns discussed, along with back-up contingency plans.
Click to expand...

Did you mean Post Munich? The 1972 Olympics were in Munich when the Israeli Athletes were kidnapped and killed.

The current situation is even more dangerous though. Four years ago it didn't appear that way. Now we have Kim and Trump. That changed the picture completely.

If it is possible to move the venue, IMO the IOC needs to do it, though I would be shocked if they did. All we can do is pray for safety of everyone.
 
Debbie S said:
Didn't the North Korean pairs team compete at 4CC last year in Pyeongchang? And I believe the team spent some time this summer training in Montreal, per either Castelli or Tran's (can't remember which) Instagram.

In any event, i'm sure South Korea has been planning and training for security since they got the bid, and I doubt Kim Jong-Un would attack South Korea during the Olys (or any other time)...he knows that every country in the Games would join together to blow him and his country to bits.
Click to expand...
I think there is neither enough planning or security any venue can do to be safe against a determined maniac.

I have a friend who is going to the OLYS to commentate for the network. He is not worried..........but then he is a crazy athelete and OGM winner. But his wife and family (and friends) are worried.

I can't imagine that 4 months out they can change venues. That would be beyond massive.
 
clairecloutier said:
I can't imagine that any plan B could realistically happen. We're now barely 6 months away, how could any other country possibly mount such a massive event in such a short time? Seems like it's South Korea or nothing.
Click to expand...

Vancouver has said 4 yrs ago that they would be ready to host last minute should Sochi had been pulled over human rights.
 
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