# The Olympics in Africa

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-olympics-in-africa/425090>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 3, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-olympics-in-africa/425090 "2007-11-03T07:19:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-olympics-in-africa/425090/41 "2007-11-07T16:21:41Z")

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[QUOTE=elmwood]  
Also, how is the weather during what would be a South African winter? I’m told that Jo’burg in July can get chilly, although it’s nothing like a North American Rust Belt winter.  
[/QUOTE]

Even in summer, the climate in [Johannesburg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannesburg#Geography_and_climate) or [Cape Town](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town#Climate) is not too bad — average daily highs of 17 C or so. However, they’d probably hold the Games in the local spring or early summer, as was done in [Melbourne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Summer_Olympics) (held in November-December) and [Sydney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Summer_Olympics) (held in September.)

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**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-olympics-in-africa/425090/42 "2007-11-08T13:42:03Z")

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[QUOTE=tagos]  
Same as it is projected to be now. With an extra zero on the end.  
[/QUOTE]

Many a true word is spoken in jest. ☹

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-olympics-in-africa/425090/43 "2007-11-08T17:54:23Z")

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[QUOTE=MikeS]  
Even in summer, the climate in [Johannesburg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannesburg#Geography_and_climate) or [Cape Town](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town#Climate) is not too bad — average daily highs of 17 C or so. However, they’d probably hold the Games in the local spring or early summer, as was done in [Melbourne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Summer_Olympics) (held in November-December) and [Sydney](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Summer_Olympics) (held in September.)  
[/QUOTE]  
I assume you mean winter rather than summer - although tomorrow’s predicted high in Cape Town is just 17C…

The problem with winter in Cape Town is the rain - it can rain steadily for weeks at a time, and when it rains, the wind blows - not conducive to athletic activities. If any city in South Africa were to be awarded it, I would think it would go “up north” - better weather, better infrastructure, better transport links, most of the population, but more crime as well…

Having said that, it was Cape Town that won the right to bid for the 2004 Olympics, so you never know.

Grim

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