Chicago 2016: Game Over! (An Insider Account)

By Makuna Tande in Copenhagen

The day started with promise as President Obama touched down in Copenhagen. But I knew the winds were turning.  We had been afraid of Rio’s powerful emotional message. And when the Rio team showed the world the dreaded map showing where the Olympics had held, we knew the game was up.

Makuna Tande with First Lady Michelle Obama in Copenhagen

This time the map was even more telling. On previous stops, only the names of past host cities were on the famous Rio map. The Brazilians took it a step further this time:  A huge graphic depicting the number of times each continent had hosted the games was added. It was too powerful.

North America has hosted the Olympics 12 times; Europe 30 times; Asia 5 times and Australia 2 times. South America did not even earn a zero on the map.  Our eggs were cooked. I had hoped that the 2014 World Cup would be a minus for Rio but the Rio team skillfully turned the World Cup to an advantage. The World Cup would provide a good test run for the Rio Olympics.

The writing was on the wall the night before. We realized that we had lost a block of 11 votes. I will explain this loss in a future piece. Additionally, two of our supporters did not make it to Copenhagen. With only 95 votes at stake, the loss of 13 votes was insurmountable. We were finished but we marched on.

Makuna Tande with Talk Show Queen Oprah Winfrey while Mayor Daley of Chicago looks on

We never had a chance given the rules that we had developed for our campaign. After the Abuja campaign stop, I knew winning would be difficult because the US would make no ‘offers.’ We were fighting a battle with one hand tied behind our back. I will explain fully what transpired in a future piece.

It is time for us to congratulate Brazil for an absolutely brilliant campaign. The emotion that Brazil showed at every campaign stop was breathtaking. Their core message – bring the Games to South America for the first time - resonated. Brazil deserved to win and the 2016 games will be successful. With the choice of Brazil, Olympism has won.

For me there are no regrets. The financial gains would have been enormous had Chicago won. But the real currency in life is not cash; instead, it is in the currency of our friendships, in the networks we build. Today, I am fantastically blessed with new friends and a turbo charged network. This time the Brinks Truck missed my stop but I am rich.

Makuna Tande with Tony Blair during the Sports Sustainability Summit in Chicago

This journey was also an invaluable learning opportunity. I have a better appreciation of the complexities of international deal making in the non business arena.

We gathered at the Axelborg for the vote announcement and victory party. It was a dead party. The band played and nobody danced. Everyone was in shock. We were not supposed to fall off the rails in the first round. They say it is not over until the fat lady sings. She is singing and it is GAME OVER.

Makuna Tande was a member of the Chicago2016 team in Copenhagen. Visit his blog at www.makuna.net for more inside details about Chicago's Olympic bid.

North America has hosted the Olympics 12 times; Europe 30 times; Asia 5 times and Australia 2 times. South America did not even earn a zero on the map.  Our eggs were cooked. I had hoped that the 2014 World Cup would be a minus for Rio but the Rio team skillfully turned the World Cup to an advantage. The World Cup would provide a good test run for the Rio Olympics.

The writing was on the wall the night before. We realized that we had lost a block of 11 votes. I will explain this loss in a future piece. Additionally, two of our supporters did not make it to Copenhagen. With only 95 votes at stake, the loss of 13 votes was insurmountable. We were finished but we marched on.

Makuna Tande with Talk Show Queen Oprah Winfrey while Mayor Daley of Chicago looks on

We never had a chance given the rules that we had developed for our campaign. After the Abuja campaign stop, I knew winning would be difficult because the US would make no ‘offers.’ We were fighting a battle with one hand tied behind our back. I will explain fully what transpired in a future piece.

It is time for us to congratulate Brazil for an absolutely brilliant campaign. The emotion that Brazil showed at every campaign stop was breathtaking. Their core message – bring the Games to South America for the first time - resonated. Brazil deserved to win and the 2016 games will be successful. With the choice of Brazil, Olympism has won.

For me there are no regrets. The financial gains would have been enormous had Chicago won. But the real currency in life is not cash; instead, it is in the currency of our friendships, in the networks we build. Today, I am fantastically blessed with new friends and a turbo charged network. This time the Brinks Truck missed my stop but I am rich.

Makuna Tande with Tony Blair during the Sports Sustainability Summit in Chicago

This journey was also an invaluable learning opportunity. I have a better appreciation of the complexities of international deal making in the non business arena.

We gathered at the Axelborg for the vote announcement and victory party. It was a dead party. The band played and nobody danced. Everyone was in shock. We were not supposed to fall off the rails in the first round. They say it is not over until the fat lady sings. She is singing and it is GAME OVER.

Makuna Tande was a member of the Chicago2016 team in Copenhagen. Visit his blog at www.makuna.net for more inside details about Chicago's Olympic bid.

Comments

[Edmund Njoh]

Makuna the Man
The undisputed Bakwerian in the diaspora.
Haa ha,we are proud of you.Being a member of the team to Copenhagen means alot.
Bravo Bravo.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=702276530]

You fought a good fight. Kudos to you and your team. I was routing for Chicago and then on Friday when I heard that no South American country had ever hosted the Olympics, I knew Rio would be tough to beat. Much like South Africa's bid to host the 2010 World being pitched as "Africa's turn", there was something emotionally irresistible about the case for the 2016 Olympics to be South America's turn. Best of luck to you. You do Africa proud.

[dango tumma]

these are the type of people the scnc and scapo oughtta be lining with to seek support in the power circle.
Not these old 1930 educated paas who dont want to pass the torch to the youth.
one failure after another they never learn, who is nfor ngala, chief ayamba
etc runing around at the unpo, not an affilliate of the UN, to table our cause?
thats why even in gambia we cant make a
victory. its now left to change the song from, the aeguement of force to the force of the arguement.
ANC,WAS NEVER A STATE NOR A POLICAL; PARTY
BEFORE FREEDOM IN S.AFRICA, ANC BECAME A POLICAL PARTY AFTER S.AFRICA WON ITS FREEDOM, SOO TOO SCNC/SCAPO WILL BECAME OUR POLICAL PARTY AFTER WE GAIN OUR INDEPENDENCE. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
THESE GAMBIAN PEANUT EATERS ARE STUPID

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