In society

The problem is 2018

May 21, 2010 Anton Oresh

If someone believes that the Olympics in Sochi is a giant scam, the kingdom of corruption, a black hole, an adventure ... Well, add a couple more juicy epithets-so the one who believes so, forgets that everything is known in comparison. And it may well be that we will be, with what to compare. On December 2, FIFA will make a decision on the venue for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Our country has submitted the other day a statement by confirming its determination to hold world championship. Russia has a chance. And not so small. And if Russia receives the World Cup, then everything that was in Sochi seems easy to warm up, and Olympic costs can be safely called “surrender”. Because world football championships are not comparable in scale and prestige with winter games. In terms of investment, they also surpass the summer Olympiads. Just because the games are held in the same city and its environs, and football championships are held in a dozen cities, sometimes divided by thousands of kilometers.

I will make a reservation right away that I was just like I was happy to obtain the Olympics, I will be happy about obtaining the World Cup. I’ll be even stronger even more. Because, if you reason theoretically, such events are a fantastic thing. For sports and for the country. Call this prestige, call what you want. But when the most important event in the world (and the Olympiads and football championships are the main world events in the amount of attention to them) are held in your country, it is somehow strange to say that this is bad.

Although I understand those who say so. Because-theft, corruption, a black hole, an adventure and a couple of epithets to taste with the addition of a constant about the "mass of unresolved problems in the country." In fact, all this is true. But then I propose to never conduct anything, not to claim anything, do not even try to do something humanly, fearing the inescapable theft and freezing in the endless expectation of a solution to unresolved problems. Which still will not decide from the fact that we will abandon attempts to hold championships, festivals and other events.

Let’s still try to take attempts to hold the World Cup on football conditionally favorably and evaluate the chances of our country. I treated them until recently skeptical. The situation is very different from the one in Sochi. Firstly, the task is more complicated. Secondly, there are more competitors. Thirdly, competitors are stronger than they were then. Our rival is, for example, England. And Spain paired with Portugal. And Belgium with Holland. As well as the USA and Australia separately. With such a set, it seems that, in essence, any application will be better than ours. Competitors surpass Russia either by the degree of “football”, or by the degree of economic power. Say, Australia and America, of course, are not football countries, but the experience of successful holding of the Olympiads and the overall organizational potential is not in doubt about their ability to do everything as it should. In the end, the 1994 World Cup in the States was quite successful in the States, and then the attendance records set are unlikely to be beaten soon. But, on the other hand, 1994 was recently. And there was no large football boom in non -football America - so why did she need another championship? And Australia is far from the main football territories. Now the championship will be held in South Africa, and there will not be very many tourists there. It is also far and expensive to Australia. And the “television” championship is not as interesting as “alive”. And in general, there is a firm confidence that Europe will receive the championship of 2018, so in this case America with Australia is definitely not competitors.

However, I spoke of difficulties. And European rivals in this sense are quite enough for us. England is not just an abstract homeland of football. These are the best stadiums in the world, the strongest championship in the world. This is the perfect football and very good everyday infrastructure. The world championship can be held there at least now, without waiting for 2018. Spain with Portugal is a little worse. Yes, and part of the Benilux is at the level. Absolutely different distances compared to Russia. You do not have to fly there for hours on an airplane, and often you can get by car from a neighboring country. A long -established and comfortable life. Safety. And what do we have?

Russia has already tried to apply for the 2008 European Championship. This application was remembered as a funny comic book. Because we could not show anything but pictures. In Sochi, by the way, there were also only pictures. But pictures on the scale of one city can still ride, but pictures on the scale of the whole country are unlikely. Now we also make pictures. And with tables and schemes. Because at the moment in all of Russia there is only one stadium that, in principle, meets the requirements of the World Cup - Luzhniki in Moscow. And you have to have about a dozen. The Russian application now indicates 13 guards-candidates! With 16 stadiums! That is, after 8 years we have to have more than one Sochi, but 13!

Although, of course, it is easier to build a separate stadium than a group of various objects, as in the Olympiad, however, you can not do without some things in any of the cities. We must certainly have an airport of international class. Because at world championships 300-400 thousand tourists are considered an absolutely normal phenomenon (if the championship is held in Europe, then they are completely in a million). You need to have not one or two, or even ten hotels in each city, in order to place these people. And not only “five stars”, but hotels of various levels. These people need to be fed and maintained. And by the way, they will move not only on airplanes, but by trains and along the highway! Now tell me that of all this we have in our country? In a country where bad roads are considered part of not even folklore, but a coat of arms and anthem! Sheremetyevo Airport is the main air gates of the country. According to world polls among tourists, it rarely rises above the penultimate place in terms of service and convenience. And in our application there is not only Moscow, but also Saransk, Samara, Yaroslavl, Nizhny ... What are the “gates”? What hotels? What are the prices, by the way? Because the rooms are 3 thousand rubles ($ 100!) In the bugs with water on schedule and cockroaches in our province, there is not such a rare phenomenon. Yes, at least in order not only in Moscow, but also in 12 cities there are airports, hotels, roads and other charms of modern infrastructure, it is worth holding the World Cup in Russia. But is it possible not just to build all this, but to build in 8 years? To solve in 8 years the problem of roads that have not solved for centuries? Against the background of all these problems, to build 16 football arenas - perhaps the simplest.

However, as I said, Russia's chances are not evaluated so low. Moreover, they grow! And they grow to such an extent that we are now one of the favorites. Russia has three main trump cards. They are speculative, but nevertheless. Firstly, FIFA officials are very fond of talking about the popularization of the game, about the development of football in different regions of the planet. Championship in the USA, the championship in Japan and Korea, the championship in South Africa. The championship in Russia would have fit perfectly into this series. Well, what will the tournament in England give football, where there is nowhere to popularize football? Where to develop football in Spain further? And Russia is a huge market, not very mastered. The abroad loves to talk about our wealth so much - this is the chance of attracting Russian money to football and on the contrary to “attach” your money in Russia. Secondly, the complete absence of stadiums is even good. This means that the players will receive completely new, modern areas to the start of the championship! After all, the English stadiums will no longer be the first freshness, although it is still beautiful.

Thirdly, foreigners are very capturing our papers! This is a thick pile of guarantees. That is, all applicants provide guarantees, but we are ready to provide any guarantees! From the chiefs of all Zhekov in all cities to the president and prime minister. With the clarification that the president and prime minister also personally guarantee the uninterrupted work of all the houses. Of course, it is wonderful that Nicole Kidman is represented by Australia, and England David Beckham. But to pay, who will be? Kidman and Beckham? Who guarantees additional billions if they are needed? Who will be entrusted for safety? Hollywood actress and glamorous football player? And here Putin guarantees everything!

In the story of Sochi there was the same. The first persons of the country went out and said that we will provide you with everything you want, we will not regret any money and lay bones. For world sports officials, this is much more important than all sorts of beautifulness and Susi-Pushi celebrities, like those who bred the same Beckham about how the children of England dream of watching the World Cup at home. Everyone dreams - you give money! Of course, England is richer than Russia. But England will never agree to spend so much money on large -scale image projects! And Spain with Portugal - so I'm generally silent. They are about to be covered after Greece. They would not have to fly into the pipe, and they submit an application, and even jointly. Two unreliable clients perform together - who runs out to believe them? And it seems to be clear that all the historical experience suggests that more likely in Russia there will be something bad than in Spain with Portugal, but the guarantees are painfully impressive.

In addition, it is worth noting that joint applications are in principle not very high. Two countries are twice as many problems. Let them even members of the European Union, but still it is a double bureaucracy, double coordinations, inevitable disputes and jealousy. And besides, the owners get to the championship without selection, and the two owners mean that the rest of the world will be given one more ticket less. So it turns out that Russia's chances are by no means theoretical. And after a fresh scandal with the British, they only grew up.

The chief of the English application did not come up with anything better than telling about the conspiracy of Russians and Spaniards. Like, the Russians with their inconspicuous wealth will bribe all judges in South Africa, the judges will help the Spaniards become world champions, and the Spaniards will resign their candidacy in favor of Russia and even the Spanish countries will persuade countries. Hrynoten is outstanding. The chef had to resign, the British - to apologize to us and the Spaniards, and together this suggests that the Russians really consider the main rivals, and the British themselves put too much emphasis on the Charisma Bekham, without providing him with the support group in the person of the caustic, but the right bureaucrats.

Now, until December, another stage of brainwashing remained. July-August will be dedicated to the trips of the assessment commission. This is not such a corrosive team as the Olympic evaluative commission, and it will still be not it to give the main grades. In general, the whole main work will be done behind the scenes and under the carpet. It can be assumed that although the British are looking for a conspiracy in exotic places under exotic circumstances, in reality everything will be much more prosaic. But no less effective than bribing all judges at the World Cup.

Hedgehog collage, photo from the site www.photosight.ru

Anton Oresh

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