Sports
Pyongyang, Seoul to bid jointly for 2032 Olympics
North and South Korea will bid jointly for the 2032 Olympics, the two countries announced yesterday, in an ambitious plan built on hopes of deepening a diplomatic thaw catalysed by this year’s Winter Games in the South.
The proposal, which would require an unprecedented level of cooperation and mutual trust on the divided Korean peninsula, was included in a joint statement issued after a Pyongyang summit between the North’s leader Kim Jong Un and the South’s President Moon Jae-in.
“The South and North agreed to actively participate jointly in international competitions, including the 2020 Summer Olympics, and to cooperate in bidding for the South-North joint hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympics,” the statement said.
No other details were given.
The North’s decision to participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February triggered a dramatic diplomatic turnaround on the peninsula this year.
It came after tensions mounted the previous year, with the North carrying out multiple missile launches and its most powerful nuclear test to date, and Mr Kim trading personal insults and threats of war with US President Donald Trump.
The Games in February saw athletes from the two Koreas march together at the opening ceremony behind a unification flag showing an undivided peninsula. The two countries also formed a unified women’s ice hockey side.
Mr Kim sent his sister, Ms Kim Yo Jong, to Pyeongchang as his personal envoy, and he and Mr Moon have since met three times as part of an ongoing diplomatic rapprochement.
The two Koreas have continued their sports diplomacy, forming joint teams for the ITTF world table tennis championships and several events at the recent Asian Games in Indonesia, securing one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
They have also held friendly basketball matches.
Olympics chief Thomas Bach said earlier this month he was open to talks with the two Koreas about marching and competing together at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
It is a marked contrast to the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, which Pyongyang boycotted after it demanded co-hosting rights and negotiations fell apart over how to share the events.
North Korea’s participation in hosting the Summer Games would be a watershed event requiring a degree of openness and financial muscle now lacking in the isolated and impoverished country.
It would also force an extraordinary level of cooperation between two Cold War foes that are still technically at war.
The first hint of a possible joint bid came last week when South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted the country’s Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan as saying Seoul planned to propose the idea during this week’s Pyongyang meeting.
Separately, for the 2030 Fifa World Cup, Mr Do said South Korea planned to propose a co-hosted tournament involving China, Japan and the two Koreas.
Earlier this month, Indonesia revealed its own intent to bid for the 2032 Olympics, riding high on its successful staging of the Asian Games.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong insists “luck” wasn’t with them for last night’s Champions League elimination at Atletico Madrid.
Barca won 2-1 on the night at the Metropolitano, but lost the quarterfinal tie 3-2 on aggregate.
De Jong told Movistar afterwards: “We played a very good game. We have left our lives there. I have the feeling that luck was not on our side.
“I think we are growing, that we have a young, talented team that can compete for everything. Let’s continue like this.
“We are left with one less, which is always more difficult. Each one has left what he could give. It hasn’t been enough.”
He also said: “It’s never good to fall in the quarterfinals. We want to win it (the Champions League). That doesn’t mean we don’t play well or we’re not on the right path. In the Champions League, there are details and you have to have a little luck.
“At some point, it has to fall on our side if it continues like this.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has ripped into Arne Slot after his tactics against Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool’s top goalscorer in the Champions League Mohamed Salah waved goodbye to European football with the side who lost 2-0 to PSG on Tuesday night.
The 33-year-old was left looking dejected as he clapped the Anfield crowd after full-time, in what is sad ending for the Egyptian who scored 53 times in Europe for Liverpool.
Salah was benched for the start of the clash as Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak started up top for the side who looked toothless going forward.
Speaking after the game, Carragher revealed that he was shocked to see the winger fail to start the game especially when he believes Isak was not ready to make a real impact.
“The manager will have his reasons, but Isak is nowhere near fit.
“Mohamed Salah didn’t play the first leg so he’s not like some of the players who played last week and then played at the weekend in the Premier League.
“He played in the Premier League and scored a goal. He’s still one of Liverpool’s best goalscorers. He’s used to this system. Isak’s never even played with (Hugo) Ekitike before.
“Is it because he’s already announced he’s leaving? It’s something like ‘I’m going with the players who are going to be here next year.’ That’s the only thing I can think of. Even that doesn’t make sense. It’s about the here and now. I’m flabbergasted.”
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has already turned his attention back to winning La Liga after their Champions League elimination on Tuesday (April 14).
The Catalan giants managed to level their quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid within 30 minutes thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.
Unfortunately for them, Ademola Lookman managed to pull a goal back in the 31st minute, and it was enough to send Atletico Madrid through.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the game, Flick admitted he was disappointing but has now turned his attention back to La Liga.
“We played a fantastic first half. We had to score more goals. It was really possible. At the end we conceded the goal. In the end, it’s football. But the attitude, I am really proud of that,” he said.
“The next step is to win La Liga. We have to show the attitude, the mentality. We are all disappointed. For everyone, it’s a big dream to win the Champions League. Of course we have to learn but we also have a young team. We have to improve and we will improve next season.
“Today, it’s also good to speak about how the players are doing. Every day we have to learn more, we have to be better and this is what we want to do.
“I know it’s very disappointing for everyone but it’s football, it’s life and we have to come back.
“For me, I don’t care about when we win La Liga. I want to win La Liga. It doesn’t matter what day we win La Liga. Now we can focus on La Liga. It’s tough because everyone believed that we could make it happen today but we have to accept it and we will come back.”
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