With the opening of the Beijing 2022 Olympics days away, a First Nations-led bid to bring the Olympics back to British Columbia in 2030 took another step forward Tuesday with the announcement that the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) are both endorsing the bid, which is also supported by the mayors of Vancouver and Whistler.
Officials from the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations say the parties have agreed to consult on the feasibility of pushing the bid forward.
Elected Coun. Wilson Williams of the Squamish Nation said getting COC and CPC support is a step forward in inclusivity and “not being invisible in our own lands.”
“[The bid] is going to be a first of its kind, but also … in regards to the land we lived on for such a long time … our stories of who we are, where we come from as Indigenous peoples for the four Nations, and respectfully, all [First] Nations throughout Canada,” said Williams, speaking on CBC’s The Early Edition.
Should it come together, it seems likely the International Olympic Committee would be intrigued, especially with it emanating from a democratic, developed country sure to provide a less controversial and happier setting than China is today. And there’s the bonus of a North American time zone coveted by high paying U.S. broadcast rights holders and sponsors.
Former Olympic athlete and University of Toronto professor emeritus Bruce Kidd sees the bid as having great potential for affirming Indigenous rights and improving the environmental sensibilities of the Olympics.
But because the IOC normally requires assurances from a recognized nation state to provide all the protocols demanded of an Olympic host, Kidd wonders how the 2030 bid will be endorsed and supported by the Canadian government.
“For Canada to do that, my guess is they would have to have some kind of agreement with the First Nations of British Columbia, which I don’t think they do now,” he said.
“I think it’s very unlikely today that the IOC would accept a bid that circumvented the legal status of nation states and open up the whole question of Indigenous rights around the world. The IOC has taken some risks with recognizing people beyond nation states, but, oh boy, that would be such a big jump,” said Kidd.
Kidd suggested some kind of “diplomatic recognition” could clear the way for IOC acceptance.
According to Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, next steps involve considering the positives and negatives of a bid and coming up with a price tag.
Proponents have been keen to point out that costs for 2030 should be less of a concern because of the value in bringing the Winter Olympics back to Vancouver and Whistler only two decades after forking out more than $7 billion for the 2010 Games.
“We know now that there was a heavy cost to 2010, but the exciting thing about it now is the highway from Vancouver to Whistler has been done, all of the facilities have been done, so it’s now just upgrading,” said Sparrow.
According to a Leger poll commissioned by Postmedia and released last month, British Columbians are divided over a 2030 Olympic bid, with 34 per cent of the population in support of the idea, 35 per cent against and 31 per cent neutral.
The poll found that First Nations leadership in the bid worked to reinforce the viewpoint of British Columbians: amplifying levels of support among those who originally indicated support for the bid but increasing opposition among those who originally indicated they weren’t in favour of it.
Other sites considering bidding for the 2030 Olympics are Sapporo, Japan, Salt Lake City, Utah and a combined bid from Spain, France and the small principality of Andorra situated between them. Bid cities are expected to be finalized later this year.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.