Games of the XIII Olympiad RP Thread

[Free Republics]

Games of the XIII Olympiad
Republica, Republica District, Free Republics

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This is the RP thread for the Games of the XIII Olympiad and is the appropriate place to post your RPs. It shouldn't need to be said, but please remember to respect the RP permissions of everybody else who is participating and refrain from RPing any terrorist attacks or other serious incidents in the host nation.

Cutoffs will be between 8 AM and 10 AM North American Eastern Time (13:00-15:00 UTC) for the duration of these Olympic Games.

If your signup has not yet been declared valid or you have not signed up for the Games of the XIII Olympiad, please do not post in this thread.

List of Participating Delegations
Altai Almas (ALM)
Amuaplye (AME)
Anollasia (ANL)
APOC Coalition (COA)
Axuva (AXV)
Banija (BNJ)
Baranil (BRN)
Beepee (BPE)
Benjamin Mark (BNM)
Britonisea (BRI)
Cassadaigua (CDG)
Cocoabo Forest (CCB)
Commonwealth of Baker Park (CBP)
Cosumar (COS)
Darkmania (DMN)
Darmen (DAR)
Diarcesia (DCS)
Eastfield Lodge (EFL)
El Chupacabras (ECB)
Electrum (ETM)
Elejamie (EJM)
Équipe nationale du Québec (ENQ)
Eraman (ERM)
Ethane (ETN)
Free Republics (FFR)
Grand Theocratic Empire of Holy Marsh (HMO)
Illahee (ILA)
Indusse (INS)
Ioudaia (IOU)
Kalosia (KLS)
Kelssek (KSK)
Kernovi and Rewgwlas (KRV)
Kevagaria (KVG)
Kriegiersien (KGS)
Krytenia (KRY)
Laeral (LRL)
Liventia (LEN)
Locarian Olympic Team (LOC)
Main Nation Ministry (MNM)
Mattijana (MTJ)
Mitra & Soma (MSM)
Monsa (MON)
Natanians and Nosts (NTN)
Northwest Kalactin (NWK)
New Saria (TSA)
Polkopia (PLK)
Polynesia (PLY)
Porabasta (PBA)
Robostania (RBS)
Sanctaria (SCT)
Santaclausisgodistan (SCG)
Sargossa (SRG)
Sirian (SRN)
Siovanija and Teusland (STL)
South Covello (SCO)
Starblaydia (STB)
Taeshan (TAE)
Teremaran Unified Team (TRM)

• Arkyatan (AKY)
• Austrakia (ATK)
• Falkasia (FLK)
• Glisandia (GLS)
• Gragastavia (GRG)
• Neu Engollon (NEG)
• Terre Des Gaules (GUL)
• Yellow Star Republic (YSR)

The Kytler Peninsulae (KYP)
The Sherpa Empire (SHW)
Titaniumland (TTM)
Togonistan (TGN)
Union of Socialist Alpine Republics (UAR)
Vakolicci Haven and Celeria (VKL)
Valanora (VAL)
Vangaziland (VNG)
Vekaiyu (VEK)
Vilitan Union (VLT)

• Tropicorp (TRP)
• Turori (TUR)
• Vilita (VIL)

West Phoenicia (KWP)
Xanneria (XAN)

Statement from Senator Emeritus Robert Nicholls, ROOC Chairman

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I welcome you to Republica, the capital of the Federation of Free Republics, for the Games of the Thirteenth Olympiad! We at the Republica Olympic Organizing Committee have been working for months to deliver the best possible Olympic experience for all.

We wish to thank the many colleges, universities and high schools in the Republica region that have generously permitted us to utilize their facilities for this Olympic Games. We are pleased to report that all of their venues have been upgraded to Olympic standards on schedule. We also wish to thank the Legislature of the Federation Government for permitting us to utilize the Venicio Piazza Memorial Legislative Building as an Olympic venue. Without the generous support of our Legislature and our internationally-renowned institutions of learning, we would have been out large sums of money to construct entirely new venues.

We wish all of you the best of luck. On behalf of my daughter Consul Scarlett Nicholls, Consul Kyle Bolton, myself and the entire Republica Olympic Organizing Committee, I welcome you to Republica. Let the Games begin.

Robert Nicholls
Senator Emeritus
Chairman, Republica Olympic Organizing Committee (ROOC)

[Free Republics]

Free Republics National Information

History of the Free Republics

The Federation of Free Republics was formed in 1767, following decades of revolutions in the Lunia region. In the previous few decades, there had been a wave of revolutions. The ideas of liberalism had become popular in the region, as Abram Schmitts, an economist from Shostistan, wrote several books promoting the benefits of capitalizm. Soon, absolute monarchies fell throughout the Lunia region. The Kingdom of Saintland remained unaffected by this wave of revolutions, due to its self-imposed isolation.

Following the revolutions, there were now many Republics scattered throughout the region. These Republics faced seemingly constant attempts from reactionary elements to reverse the revolution and bring back absolute monarchy. They also had trouble trading and communicating with one another. The newly free, with a lowercase f, Republics had numerous antiquated laws and contradictory systems of measurement in effect. A foot in Vorita was 2 feet in Amolotopia and a meter in Roxawa was a decimeter in Nejax. It was a total mess all around. This mess was made even worse by the multitude of languages spoken in the different Republics. As they sought to eliminate trade barriers and forge closer ties between one another, their efforts resulted in confusion. In the days of absolute monarchy, the inability to speak one another's language was a benefit, since kings were always waging wars against one another. However, as the Industrial Revolution heated up and brought an unprecedented degree of prosperity to the land, they could no longer maintain separate languages, separate measurements and the arcane laws and regulations that were hindering commerce in the region.

Then, a rebellion broke out in the Republic of Roxawa. The rebels sought to abolish all property, all laws and even government itself. Rampaging around the countryside, they attacked government buildings, vandalized property and stole whatever they felt like. All the while, they spoke of total freedom. Terrifying the Republic's well-armed militia into inaction, the rebel crime spree continued for weeks. Fear spread throughout the region that other "rebellions" of this sort would soon break out, providing the perfect excuse for the Federationists. The leaders of 77 Republics throughout the region agreed to send delegates to the city of Baseton in Amolotopia to discuss an appropriate response to the rebellion. This was a pretext, which was seized upon by the Federationists to push their "Constitution" scheme.

The Federationists proposed that a document called a "Constitution" would establish a new unified government of all of the Republics, known as the Federation Government. This would be a relatively weak government, as the Republics would remain mostly autonomous and generally free to do as they wished in governing themselves. The Federation Government would have an enumerated list of responsibilities, such as promoting commerce, maintaining a common foreign policy and common immigration policy and several other minor tasks, such as the option to establish a national postal system.

The Constitution guaranteed a number of fundamental rights. Among them are the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and the right to own weapons for the defense not only of oneself and of the Federation, but also against tyranny. Other provisions of the Constitution prohibited unreasonable searches, cruel and unusual punishments and double jeopardy. The document also included a strict prohibition on the practice of slavery and declared immediately and permanently free any "slave" that was brought within any territory subject to the Free Republics. The Federation Government has the power to pass any legislation it deems necessary to free slaves. While ratification was controversial, due to the feeling among many people that the Federation Government was too powerful, it was eventually ratified by the electorate in each of the original 77 Republics. Today, there are the number of Republics in the Federation is well into the hundreds.

The Constitution created a bicameral Legislature and an executive branch where power is shared equally by the 2 heads of state. The Assembly is the popularly elected branch of the Legislature. Originally, it used a first-past-the-post system, but this was later changed to proportional representation after political parties and coalitions became the norm. The entire Assembly has always been up for re-election every second year. The Senate, by contrast, is a purely appointed branch and Senators serve for life terms. When a Senator is elected to another office, he becomes an inactive Senator, but other than such periods when he may serve in other offices, he is a Senator for life, without exception. Each Republic may appoint a new Senator every second year and Senators are appointed in the same years when Assembly elections are held. Finally, the Consuls are elected to 8 year terms, with a new Consul elected every 4th year. This means that every other Assembly election is held simultaneously with a Consul election. The Constitution prohibits any Consul from serving more than a single term per lifetime. Originally, Consuls were also elected first-past-the-post, but that has since changed to a 3 round system. In the first round, the top 2 candidates, plus any other candidates that get at least 10 percent of the vote advance, assuming that no candidate gets a majority of the vote. The second round sees the top 2 candidates advance, again assuming that nobody wins a majority of the votes cast. In the third and final round, whoever wins the majority of votes cast is elected. Both Consuls have and have always had full power to veto any act of the other and former Consuls automatically become Senators upon the expiration of their term in office.

The government of the Free Republics quickly moved to standardize the system of measurements used throughout the Federation and adopt English as the national language. To help transition the Federation to an English-speaking nation, the Federation Government established a system of schools funded by the Federation Government, which ensured that the next generation would speak English and identify themselves as Republicans, rather than identifying themselves by their home Republic and speaking their Republic's native language. A substantial minority of parents resisted this effort, but children were allowed to go to school and learn English, whether or not they had parental permission. By 1830, almost everybody spoke English and identified as a Republican, not an Amolotopian, Roxawan, Voritan, Schost or whatever the demonym was for their home Republic. This brought about a more unified society. Around this time, education was returned to the Republics, most of which eventually adopted a voucher based system.

The government also banned trade barriers between Republics. This was an expected and noncontroversial move. The funding of the government by a tariff also proved uncontroversial, since politicians generally agreed that the tariff should be limited to revenue only and not used to "protect" industries from competition. However, an income tax was eventually adopted as foreign imports began to dry up. The Republican economy was simply too much of a powerhouse to justify importing goods from abroad. Discontent with the income tax grew as the government kept pushing it higher and higher. Finally, Paul Musgrove ran for Consul on a platform of capping all taxes at 10 percent of income. After his election, the amendment passed both the Assembly and the Senate before being sent directly to referendum. Voters in every Republic overwhelmingly voted for it and it became a popular amendment.

In the 20th century, the Free Republics became even more of an economic powerhouse, thanks to the capitalizt economic system. Business thrived in the FFR, as the nation became progressively wealthier. Over the years, the FFR has expanded its territory while remaining on the cutting edge of technological advancement. In the present day, the Free Republics have a population in the billions and are one of the wealthiest nations in the multiverse, with a correspondingly high rate of income inequality. The exact population of the Free Republics is unknown, due to a Constitutional amendment adopted in 1934, which prohibited the taking of a Census by any entity, whether governmental or otherwise.

Several years ago, the Free Republics were left leaderless following the death of both Consuls within the span of a few months, one of them via assassination. In the chaos, Reino Kulseth of the Holy Party was elected Consul and gradually obtained dictatorial power for himself at the expense of the nation's Republican institutions. Kulseth established a tyrannical government that passed laws against lying (despite routinely lying to their own people) and mandating the use of the word "thou" instead of you in most circumstances. Kulseth dragged the nation into a large-scale war that proved extremely costly for both sides and which led to his downfall.

In the end, the Republican people rose up against Kulseth and, aligned with several foreign armies, brought down Kulseth's "Holy Republican Empire" and brought back the Federation of Free Republics. Robert Nicholls, the father of Veleik Nicholls (leader of the popular revolt) and owner of Nicholls Enterprises, was named the new Acting Consul until such time as the normal electoral process could elect his replacement. However, the following election led to the rise to power of another tyrant, Consul Caleb O'Reilly, who jailed Acting Consul Nicholls and basically turned over control of the country to a hivemind of robots which oppressed the people of the nation until one day when hackers disabled the robots and Consul O'Reilly resigned from office, claiming to have been under hypnosis during his entire time as Consul. In the aftermath, Consul Nicholls was restored to power as the Senior Consul as the FFR geared up for another election. Consul Nicholls intended to spend his time as Consul restoring the Free Republics to its former glory and was relieved that the Republican people selected retired soccer player and current professional wrestler Kyle Bolton to be their new Junior Consul in the election.

Unfortunately, the left-wing extremists in a handful of Republics, who had previously scared many Republicans into voting for Kulseth and O'Reilly, rose up in a wave of anarchistic street violence. When the Federation Government adopted measures to stop the violence, the 32 Republics they controlled seceded from the Free Republics and declared themselves a Confederacy of Leftist Republics, which quickly became a state sponsor of terror. Consul Nicholls waged war against this rebellion and ultimately defeated them. After the conclusion of this short-lived civil war, Consul Nicholls introduced "charter societies" located in the 32 former Leftist Republics and sold off ownership of these autonomous societies, whose residents are prohibited from participating in Federation Government elections or sending any representation to Republica, to the highest bidding political extremist groups in an effort to address the FFR's political extremism problem once and for all.

With the extremist groups largely exiled to the charter societies, Republican politics was expected to be less interesting in the future, which should be good for political stability in the nation. This has already borne some fruit with the recent decision by the Free Republics to join the Reichsburg Free Trade Agreement and negotiate other free trade agreements with the various nations of the multiverse. However, the last Republican consul election still managed to make international headlines as Scarlett Nicholls and Sebastian Trudeau fought it out in an ugly electoral campaign that ended with Nicholls being elected the first female consul of the Free Republics and the first child of a current consul to be elected consul. Since becoming consul, Scarlett has made a push for full gender equality her top priority.

Transportation

Just about every mode of transportation is an option in the Free Republics. Visitors for the Olympics may arrive at any seaport or airport in the Free Republics. Planes and ships may also be used to travel between cities. As the Free Republics spans 4 continents and many thousands of miles, the use of planes is recommended for long-distance travel.

Several private companies offer high speed rail between cities. It is possible to travel through most of the Free Republics on high-speed rail, although in some places you may have to walk across the city to a competing company's station to go to your desired destination.

The use of bicycles, although unregulated, is not recommended. The Free Republics are simply too vast a nation, so players and fans that travel by bike risk missing a match altogether.

Taxis are available in Republica as are several local bus services. While these only cover a radius of around 100 miles, that is sufficient to travel to and from all Olympic venues.

Automobiles are legal in the Free Republics and can be rented near any airport or seaport. Travel by automobile is possible to any nation located on one of the 4 continents upon which the Free Republics are located. However, as the Republican continents are located in Lunia, it is not possible to travel by automobile to-or-from the Free Republics and any other nation participating in the Olympics. Anybody who intends to rent a car is strongly encouraged to get a Republican drivers license, as foreign drivers licenses are only recognized in certain Republics. Most Republics will hand out a drivers license to anybody that applies and passes the driving test. The difficulty of these tests varies greatly by Republics. The test in Nejax is notoriously easy while the test in Amolotopia is notorious as one of the most difficult. Despite this, all Republics are required by Federation law to recognize out-of-Republic drivers licenses as valid. A wide variety of cars are commonly available in the Free Republics, such as SUVs, sports cars and pick-up trucks. Those that have money to burn may rent luxury cars or limos. The vast majority of cars on the road are produced in the Free Republics. Many roads, especially long distance roads, are underfunded and in poor condition, so planes and high speed rail are much more popular in the Free Republics. In Republica, driving is not recommended as the city is notorious for extremely bad traffic, a problem that is likely to be worse during the Olympics.

Lodging

All participating NOCs will be provided with free lodging sufficient for their athletes and support staff compliments of ROOC. NOCs and individual athletes have the choice of staying in local hotels, student housing at local high schools and colleges or a number of local campgrounds. Additional space may be purchased for a fee set by the hotel, school or campground.

Weather

The Free Republics has a varied climate. The city of Republica is located in the center of the Free Republics and experiences all 4 seasons. As the Olympics are being held in the summer, the weather will be 85-100 Fahrenheit on most sunny days with a few cold or hot days. Rain, thunderstorms and tornadoes are a real possibility and may cause events to be delayed (OOC: If some portion of the schedule needs to be pushed back a day, I will announce this and specify what weather event caused the delay.).

Language

The official language of the Free Republics is English and all government documents are printed in English. Most private businesses do not print anything in a non-English language. While the rise of xenophobia in the Free Republics has subsided, most Republicans still don't speak any languages other than English. The most common foreign language spoken in the Free Republics is Latin, due to the influence of the Church of Saintland in recent years, but its use is currently frowned upon because of the language's association with the former Kulseth dictatorship.

Currency

The Republican Thaler is the only widely accepted currency in the Free Republics. Financial institutions are generally willing to change Sanctii bullion, Acedonian Aces or Universal Standard Dollars into Thalers. Due to the large number of currencies in the world, it is impossible for financial institutions in the Free Republics to keep track of all of them. Therefore, it is highly recommend that everybody visiting the Free Republics get their currency converted into Thalers, USDs or bullion before entering the Free Republics. Non-Republican Thalers, such as the now-defunct Taxachusetts Thaler (which was notorious for its extremely high inflation rates), are not accepted as currency in the Free Republics and are not convertible into Republican Thalers.

Entertainment

There are a plethora of entertainment options in the Free Republics. Every quality hotel room comes equipped with cable or satellite television, including thousands of channels and an interactive program guide. No matter what your preferences, you can probably find something on Republican television that you'd want to watch. If you can't find anything to watch on TV, you can always log on to Sanctustube, a video sharing website from Saintland, and browse the uncensored version of the site, which has (illegal) copies of just about every television program and movie in the multiverse. As Republican intellectual property laws only apply to works that are actively distributed in the Free Republics and registered with the Copyright Office, most foreign works are not copyrighted in the Free Republics.

Virtually every town in the Free Republics includes a movie theater, which is a popular social hangout. Tickets are relatively inexpensive, to keep an endless flow of teenagers coming into the movie theaters. Concerts are held in the major cities on a near-daily basis and there are several popular groups in each major genre.

Nightclubs and bars are available in virtually every village, town or city in the entire Federation. The local laws do differ, but most Republics will allow anybody over the age of 15 or so to enter a bar or nightclub. Strip clubs and brothels are also popular, although the regulation of those establishments greatly differs in each Republic. Women should be forewarned that the definition of consent in the Free Republics tends to be somewhat looser than they may be used to. In particular, Republican law regards intoxicated individuals as 100% capable of giving consent to the same extent as sober individuals and holds such individuals fully responsible for their actions and choices while intoxicated. Republican law also applies a "reasonable belief" test under which non-consensual sex is lawful if the consenting party has a "reasonable belief" that the other party is consenting. Many bars and clubs also sell marijuana, which is legal throughout most of the Free Republics (despite the efforts of the Outlaw Marijuana Party to change this). In Republica, anybody who is 13 or older may enter a bar and the legal age for tobacco, alcohol and marijuana is 13.

In the past, pro wrestling has been a popular form of entertainment in the Free Republics, especially among guys between the ages of 13 and 30. The wrestling company in the Free Republics put on extremely violent and sexualized shows. As their shows grew more explicit, their ratings steadily increased to the point where they were once of the most popular programs on television in the Free Republics. The Republican Wrestling Conglomerate attempted international expansion at one time, but the rise of Consul Kulseth and the restrictions he imposed on the content of their programming eventually drove them out of business. Abelino Sagese, their former owner, established the New Republican Wrestling Conglomerate, but it is not quite as popular yet as its predecessor. The issues of the NRWC were exacerbated by its controversial decision to fire an executive because his wife was a vocal critic of certain radical forms of Christianity on social media. This inspired the National Baseball Team to launch a campaign called "Stand Up to Sexism" to promote gender equality in Republican sports and eventually forced the NRWC to back down, apologize and offer the executive his job back. All-Taiyou Pro Wrestling of Noburu Taiyou has recently attempted to enter the Republican market and even held a number of events in major arenas last year after purchasing arena dates from the National Basketball Team due to the numerous delays of that year's IBC tournament. The Republican performance wrestlers at this Olympics are a mix of NRWC and ATPW wrestlers as Taiyouese athletes were permitted to participate on the Republican team.

Republican entertainment has been hit hard by the Kulseth and O'Reilly regimes, but businesses in that sector are currently trying to revive it. The Republican video game industry, long dominated by the RepublicSoft Saint, a device created as part of a partnership between RepublicSoft and the Sanctii government, has been hit particularly hard due to RepublicSoft's extremely close ties to the Kulseth regime. Republican gamers are currently enjoying the Miktondo Flip, a Taiyouese import that was the first to release of a new generation of handheld gaming devices while increasing numbers of Republican computer users have begun migrating to open source alternatives to RepublicSoft's Doors operating system and Citrus Computing's cOS mobile operating system, particularly after the free upgrade to Doors 12 was discovered to contain numerous backdoors designed to aid the efforts of the Kulseth government to spy on its citizens and Citrus Computing was discovered to have collaborated with the O'Reilly regime. Even Googol's Cyborg mobile OS has come under much criticism of late for overly restricting the freedom of its users. One of the more popular open source operating systems is Perestroika.

Important Laws

For the most part, visiting teams and fans will not have to worry about any unusual laws in the Free Republics. While public nudity statutes remain on the books in many Republics and around half of the Republics restrict the use of hard drugs, pornography, prostitution, alcohol, tobacco and cannabis are generally legal. In fact, pornography is legal everywhere in the FFR, as it is recognized by the Federation courts as freedom of speech. While many of these activities were barred at the request of the Kulseth regime and later barred again by the O'Reilly regime, there has been a push since the fall of the dictatorships to legalize them as widely as possible. However, laws against abortion tend to vary between Republics and some Republics have made it a crime to utilize their transportation infrastructure to travel to another Republic to procure an abortion. Public opposition to abortion has been growing in recent years, so more and more Republics are passing laws restricting or outlawing abortion. In Republica, abortions currently remain legal as are prostitution, prostitution, alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. Hard drugs, however, are banned within the capital.

Some Republics have their share of silly laws. The Constitutional provision prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment" does not have as strong of an effect as you might expect because the Federation courts use an 18th century definition of cruel and unusual punishment. While nobody's going to be hung, drawn and quartered or tortured for evidence, several backwater Republics do practice some rather bizarre punishments for crimes. If you're going to run into any legal problems, it will probably be in some backwater Republic, since they have historically been the main power base of extremist politicians in the Free Republics. You may also run into problems in the charter societies as they are not required to follow the Federation Constitution and are generally run by extremist groups. Even under the Kulseth and O'Reilly Consulships, the federal system remained largely intact, so many of these extremist politicians have been in power since the days before Kulseth's rise. For this reason, we strongly advise that visitors avoid traveling to rural areas without familiarizing themselves with the culture of that area.

In particular, women visiting the Free Republics should be mindful that sexual consent is defined slightly more broadly than they may be used to. The Free Republics has traditionally had a very sex-positive culture for the most part and has tended to be suspicious at times regarding the reliability of accusations of sexual crimes. The different sexual norms in the Free Republics have caused several international incidents in the past. Sexual norms changed during the Kulseth regime and have yet to fully return to the way that they were. Given Kulseth's popularity among Republican women, it is doubtful that the old sexual culture will ever be fully restored but there are many Republicans who long for a return to normalcy, including the old sexual norms, and the nightlife industry is currently bigger and more successful than it has been at any point since the rise of Kulseth.

Host City

Republica, located in the Republica District, is the capital of the Federation of Free Republics. It is a vast city spanning 753.1 square miles and home to an estimated 19 million people yet it is still not the largest or the most heavily populated city in the Free Republics. The city is the home of the Federation government, including a legislative building the size of a gridiron stadium and a Consul's Mansion that towers over the rest of the city. Yet, Republica is also a popular business hub due to the almost complete absence of any local government, the functions of which are mostly taken on by the Federation Government. The city has excellent low-cost public transportation, subsidized by the Federation government and politically untouchable despite substantial outcry on the part of the public, and just about every amenity imaginable. The nearby military base (Fort Capital) is the only military base in the Free Republics that is shared by both the Army and the Air Force, both of which are always ready to defend against acts of terror at a moment's notice.



Venues

In the interest of avoiding the kind of cost overruns that have bankrupted other Olympic host nations, ROOC will primarily utilize existing venues for the Games of the XIII Olympiad. This is a partial list of venues. Many venues are located on the campuses of local high schools or universities. Under the Universal School Vouchers Act, which was recently expanded to cover colleges and universities, government is effectively the single payer for all educational institutions in the Free Republics and students (or their parents) may choose to send them to any school in the Free Republics. Given the high prestige of many high schools in the Republica area, all of which are privately owned and operated since the Republica District does not have a public school system, they are in high demand throughout the entire Free Republics (which is why many of them maintain housing for students).

Gem of the Oceans Stadium

Located in Republica, the capitol of the Free Republics, Gem of the Oceans Stadium is a massive stadium that seats 101,208 fans. Gem of the Oceans Stadium is named after the National Anthem of the Free Republics.

Events: Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony, Athletics, Finals and selected group stage matches (generally matches involving the Republican team or that would otherwise be marquee matchups) for Baseball, Football, Gridiron, Hockey, Rugby & Softball, Traditional Pentathlon (including wrestling portions), etc.

Venicio Piazza Memorial Arena

Venicio Piazza Memorial Arena in Republica is named in honor of Consul Venicio Piazza, whose assassination led to the early election won by Reino Kulseth. It seats 33,202. Following the assassination of the beloved Consul, the Federation Government specifically funded the construction of this arena to honor his memory and to provide Republica with a world-class arena.

Events: Finals and selected group stage matches for Basketball, Dodgeball, Handball, Indoor Volleyball, Korfball & Netball, Gymnastics, Cheerleading

New Legislative Building

The New Legislative Building is a massive arena with 2 chambers. The Assembly has seats for 18,479 while the Senate seats 7,348. The legislature has generously permitted their building to be utilized for the Olympics and has temporarily relocated to the Indoor Sports Arena in Baseton for official business.

Events (Assembly): Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, Wrestling, Fencing, etc.
Events (Senate): eSports, Table Tennis, Squash, Badminton, Weightlifting, Chess

Barjavel Oval Stadium

The Barjavel Oval Stadium is a massive oval-shaped stadium located at the Barjavel Academy at Republica. As part of the renovations for the Olympics, a new 70,304 seat bleachers was constructed for this stadium. Barjavel Academy at Republica is considered one of a handful of the most prestigious high schools in the Free Republics.

Events: Caid, Footy, Camogie, Hurling, plus other team sports fill in the schedule when necessary

Daniel Lemelin Memorial Park

Daniel Lemelin Memorial Park is a baseball park on the campus of the University of Republica that seats 52,308.

Events: Baseball and Softball knockout rounds, Sevenball and Ultimate knockout rounds and finals, select group stage matches in Baseball, Softball, Ultimate and Sevenball.

University of Republica Aquatics Center

The University of Republica Aquatics Center has been upgraded to Olympic standards and can seat up to 24,203.

Events: Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Underwater Hockey

Lake Rydia

Lake Rydia is a massive 47,327 square mile lake located just 51 miles to the north of Republica. Temporary seating will be placed on the beaches surrounding the lake to accommodate spectators. Spectators will also be permitted to stand on the beach free of charge.

Events: Canoe, Rowing, Sailing, Swimming marathons, Beach Volleyball, Surfing

Fort Capital Shooting Range

The Fort Capital Shooting Range is located at Fort Capital, the only military base in the Free Republics that is shared by both the Army and Air Force. The fort is located just 37 miles east of Republica.

Events: Shooting, Archery, Modern Pentathlon, Sport Climbing

Capital Country Club

The Capital Country Club is the most elite country club in Republica, normally reserved for only the wealthiest and most powerful men and women in the Free Republics.

Events: Golf, Tennis, Triathon, Equestrian

City Skatepark

The City Skatepark is a public park that was build 32 years ago to provide skateboarders with a safe place to ride their boards.

Events: Skateboarding

Republica Motor Speedway

Republica Motor Speedway is an old, flat 2 and a half mile race track with a seating capacity of 500,000 (OOC: Think Indianapolis Motor Speedway).

Events: Auto Racing

Capital Downs

Capital Downs is a 1 and a quarter mile race track located on the outskirts of Republica.

Events: Horse Racing

[Amuaplye]

The Observer

December 23, 2018

Bomb sent to AIA Chief Nathan Bishop intercepted, 3rd bomb found so far.



Mr. Bishop, in a photo taken last year.

A 3rd device has been found in a serial bombing spree that has killed 1 person, and wounded another. The device was intercepted en route, and was safely defused.

This time it was sent to Chief of the Amuaplye Investigative Agency, Nathan Bishop. The package, like the ones before, is one sent in a brown box with no discernible markings, that, when you open it, would trigger the detonation of the device, a small pipe bomb, covered in nails in order to maim and injure anyone that opens it.

Like all of the other bombs, the contents of the box were scarce, and only contained the device. The postage stamps were consistent, with it being paid for with the same stamp, a surfing Father Christmas, worth 0.65 Centos, repeated however many times it needed to be. On the sender and recipient labels, printed out in black ink in the Arial Font, the sender was listed as one Richard Terry from Perth, just like the package sent to Brandi Simpson. The recipient also, just like the Simpson package, misspelled the name, this time as Nathon Bihop.

According to Special Agent Erik Christiansen of the ADTTF (Amuaplye Domestic Terrorism Task Force), there is little doubt that the bomb was sent because the AIA had started an investigation on the bombings, and that the bomber sent it as a warning to the AIA that they should back off.

Thus far:
3 nail-covered pipe bombs have been sent to offices in Sydney and Canberra, with no discernible motive.

The first reported case was on December 18th, when a bomb sent to Minister for Sport May Silva was detonated while being examined. The guard examining the box, Christian Moss, aged 43, suffered severe shrapnel wounds and burns and died on the 21st. This one is an outlier, having spelled the name right, and having a different return address, this time under Ivan Solotkov. The address was still in Perth, however.

The second case was on the 20th, when CEO Brandi Simpson, aged 39, opened up a package containing a similar device, also causing severe wounds. She remains in the hospital in critical condition. The package was sent under Richard Terry, and misspelled her name as Brady Simpson.

This may or may not be associated with the attempted assassination of Olympic gold medalist Frankie Bradley, who was shot in the hip outside of his home from a booby-trapped CZ 75 pistol, activated via tripwire. Investigations have found a subject on his security cameras, a white male around 18-25, 6 foot to 6 foot 2 inches, and around 145-155 pounds, with black hair. He was wearing a black hoodie with indiscernible markings in white, black sweatpants, and white shoes. He was also wearing a white comedy mask and sunglasses.

If anyone has any tips, call the AIA at AIA-TIPS (242-8477), and for emergencies, please call 111. (911 and 999 also work)

---

PM Chuikov announces Olympic delegation in speech at Stadium Amuaplye.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Sergei Chuikov announced the Olympic delegation in a speech at Stadium Amuaplye in Sydney.

The delegation has approximately 330 people from all over Amuaplye, and is entirely composed of first-time Olympians.

"We proved in Prescott that we aren't a weak nation. We proved that we can be better than our best. We proved that we can be able to smash records. We proved that we can't let bigger nations drag us around. We need to do the same in Republica!" Chuikov said, closing his speech to loud applause.

The speech was preceded by a 3 part collaboration with many artists, the first being about Christmas, the 2nd about the military, and the 3rd about the Olympics.

Critics have said that it was 'Bombastic", "Pretentious",and "More fitting for North Korea than Amuaplye."

Chuikov has not responded to any of our questions about his opinions about such critiques.

[The Plough Islands]

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PLOUGH ISLANDS
Delegation to the Games of the XII Olympiad
Trigram: PLI ☭ Demonym: Plough Islander ☭ Anthem: "Golden Age"
See also: signup, overview, map, example roleplays
(N. B. withdrawn on 5th January 2019 for OOC reasons)

The Plough Islands are a chain of temperate, mist-shrouded, pine-covered islands in the Celestial Ocean, whose human population of about a hundred and forty thousand have persisted with their country and its vision of an egalitarian socialist society through lean and plenty and consequently have become quite attached to it. While the country has been a one-party Communist state since independence, this is supported by the majority of the people and there is little of the authoritarianism and suspicion that pervade the archetypal dictatorship of the type; the government takes a very liberal line on social issues, and there is rarely any systemic failure to take care of its citizens, perhaps due to scale, motivation, and a genuinely largely self-sufficient economy, with a particularly thriving agriculture sector.
Plough Islanders are generally a polite, friendly, if shy and at times slightly paranoid, lot, with the vast majority being descended from British settlers who arrived starting in 1750; a small population of Soviet and Eastern European descent being of more recent origin. Their language is English (spoken in a soft, lilting accent that hardly ever uses contractions), their world view is left wing (gently reinforced by a well developed education system), their expectations are modest (accompanied by a keen awareness of their place in the world), and their jumper is probably homemade (normally mohair, and double thick to protect against the year-round winter breeze).

Sport on the Plough Islands has been dominated since long before independence by cricket, which is also the only sport to enjoy organised, stable competition outside of an educational context; any adult participation in other sports tends to be small scale and on a voluntary basis. This means that - while interest in the Olympics themselves is high - the talent pool to draw from, small in the first place, is reduced even further by the absence of cricket from the Olympics.
However, the Sporting Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Society - which has overarching responsibility for all sporting activity in the islands except cricket - have assembled a delegation from such resources as are available; the Plough Islands Yacht Club (something of a colonial-holdover-turned-Pioneers-offshoot) provided two athletes through their annual regatta in August, with the remaining competitors being simply whoever was available, willing, and met the qualification standard. The total delegation numbers just nine people; aside from the athletes and chef de mission Neil Sutcliffe - a grandson of independence leader and the country's first Premier, Cde Gabriel Sutcliffe - there are two coaches and a doctor.
Nonetheless, excitement is high in the islands after the recent success of the national cricket team in opening sporting links with the wider multiverse - albeit tinged with a healthy dose of realism; Plough Islanders are less excited about winning medals and more about simply seeing some of their own on the world's biggest stage.

ATHLETE PROFILES

Name: Laura Amanda CHAMBERS
Born: 30th October 1994, Southport
Occupation: Artist
Sport: Athletics (steeplechase)
Laura is the only pure athlete in the Plough Islander delegation; from a sporting family - her younger brother Jeremy plays rugby league, and her mother Catherine was a mainstay of the national cricket team's top order in the 1980s - she tended more towards individual pursuits than any sort of teamwork, and found her niche in cross-country running. She honed this during a university art degree which led her on to working on public art projects for the government, and she credits it with contributing to her career; "when I am running, my mind is free to dream up whatever might come next; it is like how some people get their best ideas in the shower".
The lack of cross-country running at the Olympics has led Laura to be entered in the somewhat-equivalent steeplechase and middle-distance 1500m, but she is relishing the chance to display her homeland's colours nonetheless. She lives in Sutton.

Name: Andrew HALASZ
Born: 21st July 1987, Sutton
Occupation: Fisherman
Sport: Sailing (Laser)
The only son of a Plough Islander mother and Hungarian father who moved to the islands in 1981, Andrew grew up near Sutton's busy docks and spent time on the shore and out on the ocean from an early age, and has been sailing alone since he was 12. A genial and enthusiastic man who guards his privacy well, he has said he values sailing, both professionally and in his free time, for the "solitude" and "responsibility" it gives him - "you still have your purpose, but it is so much more distant - everything is down to you, just you and the boat and the water".
Andrew qualified for the games by finishing an unexpected first on corrected time in the Plough Islands Yacht Club's championship races; he will sail a Laser-class boat at the Games. He still lives by the docks in Sutton and is single.

Name: Aj Marion Emmeline MOUNTFIELD
Born: 2nd February 1953, Silverdale
Occupation: Weapons instructor, Plough Islands Constabulary
Sport: Shooting (pistol & rifle)
A bespectacled, curly-haired, slightly built figure who can remember the radio broadcast of the country's independence in December 1960, Marion is a softly spoken but determined grandmother who just so happens to be a crack shot. She joined the Constabulary in 1971, straight from school, and developed a natural aim and steady hand into first a collection of marksmanship medals before being elevated to the force's lead firearms instructor, despite claiming "never, ever, ever to have fired a shot in anger - and I hope that continues to be so".
Age has not dulled her reflexes or ability; at the finals of the Military Marksmanship Awards in April she beat colleagues four decades her junior to secure her tenth Premier's Medal for Shooting, which placed her well for Olympic qualification. She and her husband John live in Foxdale.

Name: Lt Rupert Andrew Vladimir SMITH
Born: 16th February 1982, Avalon
Occupation: Executive officer, Plough Islands Naval Force
Sport: Sailing (Finn)
Rupert can trace his family's roots back to the first voyage of 212 settlers to the then-uninhabited Plough Islands in 1750; his family have been associated with public life on Avalon Island for over 200 years, and Rupert's great-grandfather Ian was prominent in the early trade union and later Socialist movement. However, his parents met while serving in the armed forces, and the dedicated Rupert followed in their wake, serving as second-in-command on one of the Naval Force's coastal patrol ships. He has also enjoyed sailing since he was a boy - "typical, when I get off the ship to enjoy my shore leave, I get my boots on and go back out onto the ocean instead..."
Rupert finished a narrow second at the annual regatta of the Plough Islands Yacht Club (which he serves on the committee of), securing qualification for the Olympics and a further break from active duty. When not at sea, he lives on Avalon with his wife Pandora.

Name: Sarah SQUIRRELL
Born: 12th April 1995, Lainemouth
Occupation: Technical assistant, University of the Plough Islands
Sport: Canoe (slalom)
The Plough Islands lack any large body of controlled water suitable for canoeing, so when Sarah - a soil scientist by training - wanted to continue the sport after becoming hooked while on an educational exchange scheme, she was forced to be creative, paddling around the quite dangerous, isolated rapids of the upper River Laine near her hometown and being hospitalised on more than one occasion due to either hypothermia or bone fractures. With "what I suppose could be described as 'boneheadedness' but I always thought was normal determination", though, she persists, and has attended two international canoe slalom competitions as a safer way of getting her adrenaline fix.
A volunteer to go to the games, Sarah is competing in the Olympics under a universality invitation from the Olympic Council. She lives in Lainemouth with her fiancée (and occasional hospital transport) Kate.

[Amuaplye]

The Observer

December 24, 2018

4th bomb detonates inside cargo jet, Olympic jet seems to be the actual target.

A 4th bomb has been detonated aboard AmuaCargo Flight 7189, a flight from Perth to Republica via Sydney. It was during the second leg of the operation, from Sydney to Republica, where the bomb exploded, causing severe damage to the back of the plane. The plane was a 737-800 with 2 crew, Captain Chris Norman, aged 49, and First Officer Harold Meyer, aged 63. The bomb seemed to be activated via a phone attached to the device, which caused it to detonate. The plane, despite the massive hole, managed to divert and land in Newcastle, with no injuries.

Recovered pieces of packaging detail that the bomb was sent to Luis Ray, the flagbearer, (misspelled as Luis Eay), and follows all of the same details of the packages, the surfing Father Christmas stamp, the lack of contents, the same type of nail bomb, and a return address in Perth, although this time under the name of Sergei Volkov, and with details, in capital block letters. Recovered pieces of package show that this is what it says:

"TO MAIL WORKERS,
SEND PACKAGE TO OLYMPIC ET (sic)
FRIEND ON BOARD
THIS IS HIS GIFT
SERGEI VOLKOV"

Mail workers disregarded this instruction, and it was placed about the AmuaCargo flight. The reports of the explosion is loosely correlated to the time the Olympic Jet flew near Christchurch, the former residence of Olympian Frankie Bradley, strongly suggesting the theory that the attempted assassination of Bradley was associated with the bombings.

The AIA has nicknamed the bomber the Olympiad Bomber.

As mentioned before, if you have any tips call AIA-TIPS, and for emergencies, call 111.

---

Olympians arrived at Republica!

The Olympian's flight, AM-3B4, a Boeing 747-8, taking off from Sydney Airport.

Just about 30 minutes ago, the Olympic delegation arrived in Republica. We expect them to arrive soon to the Olympic Village, where we expect a massive celebration (as usual). The NOC has told them not to drink any sort of alcohol, lest it impairs their skills. Along with the athletes, 30 non-athletes were also aboard, mostly journalists, coaches, politicians, and workers.

The people to watch out for in our Delegation is as follows:

Glenda Nguyen, Rose Webster, Luis Ray, and Calvin Mitchell (Aquatics, Swimming, Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay)
Sue Arnold (Judo, Women's 52 kg)
Rufus Chavez (Athletics, Men's 3000m Steeplechase)
Greg Phelps (Canoeing, Men's K-1, 200m)
Sergio Murray, Jordan Fisher, and Marvin Owen (Cycling, Track, Men's Team Sprint)
Clara Tyler (ESports, Women's Fighting)
Women's Water Polo Team
Carl Perkins (Athletics, Men's 1500m)
Men's Lacrosse Team
Damon Greene and Rudolph Goodwin (Aquatics, Diving, Men's Synchronized 3m Springboard)
Lana Kim (Judo, Women's 57kg)
Jean Young (Weightlifting, Women's 53kg)
Scott Welch, Jonathan Green, Travis Chavez, and Jonathan Guzman (Aquatics, Swimming, Men's 4x100km Medley Relay)
Rosemarie Tucker, Lindsay Shaw, and Inez Cunningham (Fencing, Women's Team Epee)
Leona Maldonado (Aquatics, Swimming, Women's 400m Individual Medley)
Women's Basketball Team
Merle Munoz (Boxing, Men's Welterweight)
Michael Nelson (Judo, Men's 60kg)
Muriel Cole (Shooting, Women's Trap)
Jeffery Underwood (Auto Racing, Men's Open-Wheel)
Glenda Gibson (Mixed Martial Arts, Women's Atomweight)

[Main Nation Ministry]

Somewhere on a large plane to Free Republics

Jason Masami was seated at a passenger seat near the window, where he watched the plane left the runway. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seat before the plane has reached the proper attitude." an attendant said on the intercom, before Jason took a deep breath. "Here you! Brendon Paristein is the name. You're Jason Masami right?" a man who was seated next to him said. "Uhh, yeah." "I'm with the Truth News! So what are your plans for being in the Olympics in Free Republics?" Brendon said, where he held out a notepad. "Oh jeez, I thought there were going to be journalists for the other athletes? I'm attending the auto racing event."
"Good! What's your thoughts on being in Free Republics?"
"Well, I did hear some negative stuff about it, but I heard there is some new politic climate there now. Should make things peaceful."
"Thoughts on how many medals the Ministry will win?"
"I'm sure we will win tons of them. This is supposed to be the first time that we're doing regular Olympics."
"What are your thoughts that the Leader will only come to Free Republics briefly, just for the shooting event?"
"Is he busy?"
"Our insiders said some stuff is happening back in Main Nation Ministry and he's busy."

Meanwhile, on a lower level of the plane, Jessica Madden was toning her guitar, while speaking with her guitarist Tony, who had his blond hair in a beanie and didn't seem to mind, wearing his red biker jacket with spikes. "So what's this place Free Republics? They better have some venues I can perform at. Chick gotta make a living, even if what I did back in Lactatia was big stuff." Jessica remarked. "What we gotta do is be a bit towards the rebels. 70% of Main Nation Ministry hates us and treats us like rebels." Tony said. "Well, the only rebels on this plane are the video game nerds who are cracked down for playing unlicensed video games. How hard is it to not play as the Leader in a video game?! Also, Tony I think you should wear the aviator jacket and glasses. Makes you look a little trendy, even if we don't know what these weirdos in Free Republics prefer to wear."

"What about my leather jacket? I still want to be a little casual with my wear." Bassist Gerald asked, where he was wearing a simple green and tan button-down shirt. "I agree, I think since it isn't winter, I just write a plain t-shirt." Drummer Frank said. "By the way, isn't Cindy coming? She can come to promote the hell outta stuff, but I not sure if we need the keyboard." Jessica asked. Jessica did reveal that to her fans back in the nation that she was heading to Free Republics, though she didn't know how the people would react. "Look, as long as stuff becomes bitchin', we will be in the clear. I mean, the locals must be nice since this is supposed to be a capitalist paradise, what the worst that can happen?" Jessica asked, where Gerald gave her a look to not jinx it. "Ok, I get it. Also, how's my tits? I did some sit-ups and are they still looking good?" she asked Gerald. "I recommend asking our manager. She might think it's nothing." Gerald reminded her. "Brenda! Check my tits!" Jessica got out of her seat, as the plane was gliding across the sky.

On another part of the plane, Ryuu Taichi was practicing his punches and kicks, where he looked at the "Sparktaker" who was under his mysterious mask of his made for glitter and some random sci-fi movie helmet they got from the studios. "How's my muscles? I'm almost need to get the punching bag off the hinges." Ryuu asked, where the "Sparktaker" did his best deep voice impression to give morale to Ryuu. "Ryuu.. You must be ready!" he said, which excited Ryuu, even though he was technically seen as a joke, despite the fact that body fat was hiding muscle. "Let's head back to our seats, the plane might land in a couple of hours, but we have enough practice when we get to the hotel!" Ryuu said, as the flight was continuing it's journey before landing at Free Republics.

[West Phoenicia]

Press Release from Helena Antonius, Head of PR & Communications for Team West Phoenicia

It is that time once again where the cream of the crop in the sports world come together to participate in the Summer Olympic Games.
Republica in the nation of The Free Republics has the honour of hosting this massive sporting event for the XIII Summer Games Olympiad.

What has been West Phoenicia’s previous achievements at the Summer Olympic Games?

West Phoenicia made their first appearance at the XI Aeropag, Paripana Summer Olympics. Where they finished with a tally of 1 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze and taking out first place in Baseball which was classed as a demonstration event.
They returned to compete at the XII Summer Olympics in Kelssek and Vekaiyu where their good fortune overflowed with 21.Gold. 16. Silver. 25. Bronze. As well as taking out first place in Women's Cricket and Second place in Women's Baseball.
What lies in store at these games? West Phoenicia is hoping to do just as good as their previous appearance or even better.



Who is Baroness Flora Freeman?

At the conclusion of the II Winter Paralympics Olympics in Neverend, Liventia. Baroness Flora Freeman replaced Baron Callum Devine as the Minister of West Phoenician Olympic Sports after he was asked to step down.
Baroness Flora Freeman who has spent the last 20 years in the public eye as a member of the Aristocracy Party of West Phoenicia as a lobbyist won a seat in the West Phoenician Congress. With her party allied with the current Conservative Party government a number of ministries were allocated to their allies in the Congress. Baroness Freeman who turns 48 this year has held spots on the West Phoenician Olympic Committee and has promoted West Phoenician sporting teams onto an international platform.
Baroness Freeman believes and advocates for increased funding to all sports programs so they reach the international level and represent West Phoenicia on the world stage in World Championships and Olympics. She has also said she will not think twice about pulling athletes who are underperforming and slash sports which don't pull their weight or do not bring in the fans.

What will West Phoenician athletes be wearing to the Opening Ceremony?

Hundreds of fashion designers and fashion houses have submitted their ideal uniform to the West Phoenician Olympic Committee for consideration.
After serious consideration the committee has selected the uniform designed by Ms Eastwood of the House of Phoenix.
The uniform is a tribute to the rich vibrant cultural history of West Phoenicia. While not entirely liked by millennials who took to social media to slam the attire classing it as outdated and a throwback to a history best forgotten. The uniform has received the nod of approval from the wider West Phoenician community who embrace the rich tapestry if West Phoenician history, culture and attire. West Phoenicia is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. One should never be embarrassed by one's past.







What will the official West Phoenician mascot for this Olympics be?

West Phoenician love to bring their own mascots to international sporting events. Many see it as a good luck charm. This Olympics a genetically ,modified unicorn named Purity has been chosen to lead the West Phoenician delegation at the opening ceremony.





Sports where West Phoenicia stands a chance of obtaining a medal?

If the last two games are anything to to go by West Phoenicians are hoping we can have continued success in;

Weightlifting
Boxing
Tennis
Archery
Shooting
Sailing
Rowing
Cycling
Badminton






Sports that West Phoenicia will struggle in?

Equestrian is a sport that has seen some limited growth in the two Summer Olympic Games that West Phoenicia has attended. While there are standouts like Emily Woods and Jocelyn Rhodes as a group they are just not at the same level as nations like Electrum and The Atlae Islands yet. Now at their 3rd appearance and an injection of funding West Phoenicia is hoping for a medal in Eventing or Dressage to keep the Aristocracy class of citizens who enjoy the sport happy.

Football has a small following on the national level with the West Phoenician Football League. However it is not overly promoted and the nation has never fielded a football team to the World Cup. The Men's and Women's Football squads rely heavily on funding from companies to sponsor their appearance at the Olympics. Both teams have not progressed passed the round of 16 and there is little chance they will at these games. But kudos to the men's football team who did progress to the round of 16 at the previous games but were beat by the better playing Cocoabo Forest team.
However while both teams struggle the players hearts are still in the game. At the previous Olympics, many players were seen cheering for Cocoabo Forest who managed to place silver in the Men's Football.

Handball is a sport on the decline in West Phoenicia. While it did field an international team, it pooled poor results, few fans and was relegated to a 3am slot on West Phoenician Sports that aired their international matches. Poor organization and dominant sports in West Phoenicia such as Water Polo, Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball and Archery which are bringing in fans and sponsorship are pushing Handball away from obtaining the spotlight. There is now no national league for the sport and the two Olympic teams will be fielded by University students mainly from the West coast city-states where it is still played at a university level.

On any given Sunday hundreds of West Phoenicians flock to the golf course for a spot of golf and relaxation. West Phoenicia has hosted the West Phoenician Masters and Open Championship for the last 100 years. Golf appears on the sports channels but it is not a sport that has a lot of people signing up to play on the international circuit. Campbell Moonee is currently the number one ranked player on the golfing circuit. He represented West Phoenicia at the last Summer Games where he missed out on a medal by placing 4th. Mr Moonee will be back at these games but overall there is not high hopes for the golfing squad. The men fair a better at bringing home a medal but for the female players they are just not up to the high calibre of other nations female golfers. It would be a miracle if any ended up in the top 20.


With the departure of Sarah Wick and Marc Marine from the Diving team, Leah Wick is the remaining long term diver who stands a chance to pull in some medals for the nation.
West Phoenicia has invested time and resources into training up a new generation of divers. This current Summer Games will be the first time that some of them hit the international stage so it's unlikely any will pull in a medal win. Jacob Navy is also on the squad but he is ageing out. He has failed to win any Olympic medals he did pick up a gold in the 3m Springboard Synchronized at the U.S Summer Games a number of years ago.

Indoor Volleyball is a sport that is played across many West Phoenician University campuses. The University of Deception Bay are the current champions. However after university, Indoor Volleyball drops off. Beach Volleyball steps in and takes over as the popular of the two especially during West Phoenician Summers. A medal win would boost up the profile across the nation and open up doors for a West Phoenician Professional League. However both the mens and womens team do not appear to have the hunger or the drive to get to that level.


Taekwondo and Judo are two sports that West Phoenicia struggles in. While each sport obtained a bronze medal each at the previous games, more could have been done. With 14 Judo classes and 8 Taekwondo classes there was an opportunity of winning 66 medals which West Phoenicia failed to do. There are many Judo and Taekwondo centres throughout West Phoenicia. However it is still seen as more of a hobby. Jin Swannie who won a medal in Taekwondo has been instrumental in promoting the sport throughout the nation which has seen more children and teenagers take up the sport in more urban areas. Will these games bring us more medals in these events? We may pick up one or two, but we won't be known throughout the world is these sports for a very long time especially in an international professional level.

If West Phoenicia wants to continue their success at the Summer Games, they will need to make headways in sports where they either did not obtain a medal or achieved only one or two. Swimming, Track and Field, Judo, Beach Volleyball and Taekwondo are the sports West Phoenician needs to focus more aggressively in.

What are sports West Phoenicia wish to see included in the Olympic lineup?

West Phoenicia is thrilled by the variety of demonstration sports on offer. And we hope to pull in some wins there. We would have liked to have seen Cricket, Polo, Powerlifting, Roller Derby and Tumbling on offer. Hopefully one day this will happen.

Will West Phoenicia be causing any scandals at these current games?

Over the years West Phoenician athletes travelling to international sporting events have been involved in pub brawls, boycotts, sexual licentious behaviour, political protests etc.
Baroness Flora Freeman has vowed to crack down on such behaviour by imposing $10,000 fines for each athlete or support staff who embarrass West Phoenicia or affect its reputation. While the nation supports freedom of thought, speech and expression, there is a time and a place. The Summer Olympics is about being honorable and being on the best behaviour. West Phoenicians should be going onto the world stage and being the envy of the world, not the laughing stock or ending up in the tabloids for their outlandish behaviour.

[Amuaplye]

The Observer

December 25, 2018

2nd Victim, Brandi Simpson, dies in hospital.

Today's Christmas is going to be a very somber one for the sportswear brand Sportoo, the friends and family of Brandi Simpson, and Amuaplye as a whole, as Brandi Simpson has died from her injuries at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, sadly upping the Olympiad Bomber's death count to 2.

Her death occurred at approximately 10:00 AM.

Currently, the Amuaplyean Government has given her loved ones money in order to pay for the funeral.

"It's harrowing, it's hard to deal with this, her dying at the hands of such a heartless human being. She had so much potential, and he just had to take it away. It's also a painful reminder that death can happen at any day, at any time, to anyone," Hospital Director Steven Wills said, in an interview with The Observer.

The AIA and NSW Police have both ramped up their investigation into the murder, both patrolling most mail lines between Perth, Sydney, and Canberra.

Already 22 suspicious packages have been looked into, them being deemed either fake copycat devices, or innocuous mail that shared the appearances coincidentally.

Date, location, and time for the funeral is unknown.

If you have any tips, call AIA-TIPS (242-8477), and for emergencies, call 111.

[Darkmania]

THE GODAMN TRUTH!

A free, and totaly not biased news podcast (and one of the many InfoWars parodies here in NS) featering Ädam Trëst

(Note that the rant is done in a IC manner and is not meant as an attack. Ill remove this if its goes over the line. - Dark)

---

Epsiode 2: The Olympics

Its that time, where we see half moist men or woman doing some sports inexpensive stadiums paid by you. But not the elite. They`ll laugh as they get rich out of your hard work just so they can say "Hey. I'll need to destroy your house/farm so we can build a giant swimming pool for the Olympics". And then they`ll kill you without even finishing the sentence. Why doesn't the Free Republics populous, whatever they are named, do an uprising against this wild and dangerous govt spending? Is it because of the brainwashing propaganda? It's the goshdarn globalist, liberal elites who are behind this. THE ELITES ARE BEHIND THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE POOR PATRIOTIC SOULS OF THE FREE REPUBLICANS POPULUS! SCANDALS!!

Don't get me wrong, I like when natural, male, humans of the same skin colou..... I mean ordinary joes like you and me perform sports cleanly. The biggest problem I have is when the taxpayer spending on the shiny, new stadiums. Why the (*beep*) are the host, this time being Free Republics, wasting taxpayer money on a giant (*beep*) stadium?!? And do you know the worst part of this? And it's not even about the host this time? Darkmania, our motherland, who at the time of recording this hasn't even hosted any sporting event expect a sledding round of some globalist event I forgot the name of. And already some (*beep*) politicians have proposed that they`ll try to bring this madness into the capital Örkendrem. So they are bringing this into an already ruined city thanks to those elitists. Thank god I'm not there. If they find out that I record my podcast there, then ill be executed for speaking against the lies they are spreading that "the Olympics are a good investment".

Now, ill be going there, to Free Reps, and ill record hopefully an episode there. If any of you are interested to speak against the imperialist event known as "Olympics", feel free to contact me at https://www.thetruth.dm/olympics-trip and you might win one year free of my smooth voice telling you uncensored news. This was The Godamn Truth and i see you next time. Hopefully without someone arresting me for telling you this.

[Benjamin Mark]

Zhang-Granger - Hello, I'm Jessica Zhang-Granger

Branger - I'm Robert Branger, Josh Kelly passed away earlier today, Angie Cameron is in Republica with four rising stars and is excited to introduce them and our broadcasting staff, Angie?

Cameron - Hello! I'm in Republica with Vivian LaRosa, Rachel Sumter, Christina Campos, and everybody's favorite Annabel Gurieto-Nunez. Who wants to begin?

Sumter - I love Judo, but I also love running, swimming, and especially biking and I'm motivated to compete in this Olympics in two disciplines. I chose Judo because it felt natural to me, I also wanted to get my grrrr out. I chose Triathlon because I love mixing it up, Jess Bhamra from Bend It Like Beckham when she runs is very motivating to me and I will be listening to Move On Up by Curtis Mayfield during the running part. LaRosa?

LaRosa - For me, it's the same thing but also I have a lot more energy than Sumter and marathons make me happy. I competed in Carson Village Marathon, Hellensworth Half-Marathon, St. Vanoix Wine and Beer Fun Run, Run 4 Education for Draconids at Stilwell, and Ashton Country Fun Run. Gurieto-Nunez?

Gurieto-Nunez - This will be my last Olympics so I'm going out with a bang. I'm pumped and ready to go! Campos?

Campos - I taught spin classes at Fitness Forever, so I am confident. I love cycling and everybody comes back for more, more, more in my cycling class. Cameron?

Cameron - The broadcasting staff are.

Justine Cook (Lead Reporter)
Brenda Le
Angie Cameron
Mora Isen
Megan Su
Tamara Austin-Williams
Danielle Braverford
Janine Amesquita Reyes
Alexis Doeschot

[Banija]

Royal Banijan Soccer Association Training Facilities, Busukuma, National Capitol Region, Kingdom of Banija

Forzu-Denir Ono was the manager, hired on a temporary contract, of the Banijan national U-21 team. He had walked into a delicately fraught situation- the Banijans had just lifted their law on mandatory gender segregation in professional sports, and due to the timing, the Di Bradini Cup had been their first ever integrated national team, in any sport, to take the field. Forzu-Denir had taken the job for many reasons, one being that coaching a national team, even a youth side, could really help him climb the ladder in the cut throat world of international management. Look at the senior manager for Banija, the Equestrian, Marcus Waters. His climb up the ladder in Banija was absolutely stunning.

And, of course, he thought that the opportunity to lead the first ever integrated side was a neat one, as well. He was not a Banijan- he was a Qusmi, through and through. Back home in Qusmo, there was no such thing as gender- it was an antiquated and outdated concept. Gender was, indeed, a social construct, and they didn't believe in it. He didn't, either. But here he was- plying his trade on the international stage, trying to make a name and progress for himself, for Qusma coaches in general.

It wasn't a bad tournament, to tell the truth. The Banijans had played fairly well, winning one and drawing two, getting five points. In a four team, 3 matchday group stage, where the top two teams advance, five points, 99.5% of the time, will be enough points to get you through to the knockout stages of whatever tournament you're in. But there was the key- 99.5% of the time. This tournament, this strange tournament, was that 0.5%. A group where three teams were level on goal difference, and at five points, while Banija and Mytanija were level on goal difference, goals scored, and goals allowed.

The Mytanijans advanced on a coin toss. How else do you break a tie like that, am I right? Still- an incredibly frustrating experience for Forzu-Denir. They thought they'd have an opportunity to get their young players in the knockout stages of the tournament, and yet, they went home early. What happened to Mytanija, the winner of the coin toss? They went to the final. Forzu-Denir had stopped following the tournament after that- how annoying would it be if Mytanija won after that?

But, he had to move on. He wasn't going to think about it. He had another tournament in his contract- the XIII Olympiad. He was, of course, to coach the men's team. Since the men's side was U23+3, that made sense, especially with the women sending their senior national side to the tournament. He had just finished holding a training session with the 35 players he had invited to camp- whittling down the roster to 23 men would certainly be tough. His higher-ups at the RBSA were wrangling with OAS Royal FC to get Gitonga Kahara on the squad. He, of course, was 23, but clubs weren't required to release their players for the Olympics- so that was on his mind as well.

He was walking upstairs, to a meeting with his bosses. He was surprised to see a person from the Olympic Committee here, they usually didn't come to the RBSA facilities. "How's it going?" He said, tentatively, to two men who were his bosses.

"Read this." One of them said. And he passed him a two page document. He recognized the flag- the Qusmo Flag. Interesting, as he quickly realized it was a press release from Spon Qusma, the governing body of sport in Qusmo. But he continued frowning as he read the document. Qusmo was boycotting the Olympics? And moreover, the Royal Kingdom of Quebec was boycotting? No wonder the Olympic Committee guy looked so stressed on- he learned quickly the importance of the deep diplomatic, political, cultural, and sporting ties between Banija and the Royal Kingdom of Quebec.

But he read on, and it dawned on him when he got to the end of the document. Specifically, the following words- "last but not least, those whose nations are boycotting the event must adhere to the boycott." He was Qusmi. His nation was boycotting the XIII Olympiad. And they were calling upon him, and those in his nation, to do so.

The Olympic Committee REpresentative spoke up. "Ono, Because of this, and all the attention it has got... Our sponsors, and The Olympic Committee feels it prudent if you publicly give your commitment to seeing out the remainder of your contract, regardless of this boycott."

Forzu-Denir stood there. And he was getting even more frustrated. First, of course, losing out on the knockout stages of the U21 World Cup due to a freaking coin toss. And now, as he got ready to go to the freaking Olympics, now this? What kind of rotten luck did he have? Whose God did he anger? "Yea, I'll do it" He said, and then he proceeded to immediately leave the room.

At the next day's press conference, he opened it up with the following statement. It was written, of course, by the Olympic Committee of Banija. "Spon Qusma has made their choice. As a sovereign sporting body, very much like the Olympic Committee of Banija and the Royal Banijan Soccer Association, they have the right to make their choice. I regret not having the opportunity to see Qusmi'y athletes on the greatest and largest stage in sport- the Olympic Games. They would do Qusmo proud, just as Banija's athletes will do their country proud." He paused before he continued- did he like this part of the statement? No, but what was he gonna do? "Whilst this is an important issue, a boycott here will only move us backwards in the effort to eradicate the scourge of sexism from international sport."

And then, he finished, and he stood to take questions. He was firm- he was going to Republica no matter what. But his first ever Olympiad was clearly going to be more stressful then he originally envisioned...

[Kelssek]

“...Alright then, we need another person to settle this. Natalie, now long has it been since the last Summer Olympics?”

“Well, an Olympiad is four-year period of time, and the Olympic Games are traditionally held to mark the Olympiad, hence the name, so four years, I imagine,” said Natalie.

“It don't feel like that though. How long since the last World Cup?”

“Just finished, right? You were laid out on the couch there for a couple of those late night matches,” she said sardonically.

“And the one before that?”

“I don’t know, how long is it between World Cups?” For some reason, trying to think about it made her head spin.

“Let’s try something else. Elections are every four years, when was the last one?”

“Well, this year, but the one before that was just two years ‘cause there was that no-confidence vote...”

“Ok, well, two years. How many Olympics and World Cups between those two?”

Natalie tried to think about it but began to feel extremely nauseous. “I... er...” She tried to concentrate on the problem but this only made it worse, and for a moment the walls seemed to be dissolving into a mass of tiny, rainbow-coloured squares.

There was the sound of retching. Rob had vomited on the floor and Gary was standing over him, saying “You okay? What happened?”

“I’m... okay...” Rob said, “it's been an indeterminable period of time since the last Olympics.” He instantly felt better.

[West Phoenicia]

The Daily Blog

It's that time again where nations travel from across the globe send their best or best they can afford to battle it out in the arena known as the Olympic Games.
This will be West Phoenicia's third appearance at a Summer Olympic Games after years of civil strife and the royal family at war with each other an era of peace and prosperity has befallen the nation. So much so that the borders have expanded and an alliance of 12 nations created to form an impressive empire.
The city of Republica in the Free Republics has the honour of hosting this prestigious event and many West Phoenician fans are flocking to watch their favourite sports. Tickets have sold fast and many West Phoenicians feel cheated they missed out on their chosen sport. "I wanted to go and watch the swimming, but tickets allocations for West Phoenicia sold fast. I ended up with tickets for Indoor Volleyball and Sports Climbing," said Olga Orun, a personal secretary for the Minister of Energy.
I myself am lucky that I scored tickets to the Opening Ceremony, as well as Baseball, Weightlifting and Tennis.
Ratings are expected to sour across WP1 which has the rights to air the Olympics as many would rather watch from the comfort of their homes instead of battling the masses. And the Opening Ceremony is poised to have at least 30 million West Phoenicians tune in to watch our nation March out in traditional West Phoenician attire which has been slammed by the under 25's as being too traditional and outdated.
Of course with the way the world is going the under 25's would be disappointed in anything unless it was men marching out in dresses and men in suits. Of course it would be forbidden to use the men and women titles as may cause offence to a small minority who want to dictate for the majority.
However the majority of West Phoenicians agrees that at time such as the Olympics, traditional is the way to go. Letting each nation celebrate their unique culture. I look forward to see some of the other attire parading out. My only hope is none choose to wear those blinding colourful costumes that many have done in the past. It is not reasonable to ask them to spend a few extra dollars on the uniforms. West Phoenicia certainly has the coffers to spend to make their team look the best.

However the West Phoenician Olympic Committee has made a huge error, in their pursuit for funding The Gryphon-Bush royal family has happily supplied the extra funding.
And as a result Princess Royal Arsinoe Gryphon-Bush II, eldest daughter of the Emperor and third in second in line for the throne will once again lead the delegation. Sure she won a medal in a chariot competiton at the 1 Olympia Games, but she has never pulled a medal at the Summer Olympic Games. Her purpose is purely ceremonial and ordered by the royal family. It is a shame when we could have had a real Olympian at the helm, think Mandy Tan, who won gold in the Freestyle Women’s 63 kg in the last games and a Bronze in Aeropag. Or golden girl Roccio Salvador, a sailor who fought back from a silver win in Aeropag only to secure gold at the last games. We have so many talented athletes, so it was a shame a princess from the royal house will unfortunately have that honour, a princess who has done alot during her international meetings with heads of state that many in the world think that all West Phoenicians are pampered and spoilt., a princess who takes her goddess incarnate belief to the extreme.

One last note, I urge all West Phoenicians to get behind Team Phoenicia and make this our best games yet.

--Lord Randall Van der Dressel, Writer and Political columnist.

[Porabasta]

Porabasta ecstatic over Olympics debut

The Guardian - Ernesto Felipe Sancho

The giant countdown clock in San Hacota, Porabasta's bustling capital, nears closer to 0. It's 18 months to the day since president Sergio Navas announced that Porabasta would finally be entering international sporting competitions, which means citizens can finally watch their country compete on the big stage, most notably in the Olympics and the World Cup. Porabasta's debut on the world stage which is now just a few days away is the most highly anticipated sporting event in the country's history. Fans are travelling to the Free Republics in droves whilst at home every second of the action will be shown on 10 different sports channels. Some of Porabasta's greatest athletes will finally get some of the international recognition they deserve and hopes are high for a few gold medals.

On Wednesday the president was speaking at a press conference about the importance of sport for a country and discussing the previous president's failings. "It's an outrage really. His apathy towards sports and culture in general was a disgrace and the country is noticeably better now he's gone. Events like this is what it's all about, the country is united under one cause. Everyone has smiles on their face and that's the most important thing. Entering the Olympics and World Cup is something we should've done years ago. Patriotism is at an all time high, the economy is on the up again and everyone's life is better now." There are also hopes that the games will help develop sports for future generations. The competition should raise awareness for underdeveloped sports while also inspiring children all over Porabasta.

However one notable absent from the Porabasta Olympic team is the men's football team. Football is the country's most popular sport and many were excited to see them compete. Jose Alvarez, the national team manager has made the decision to let the team rest ahead of the upcoming World Cup and Baptism of Fire tournaments. "Three international competitions is too much. The players have just been through an exhausting domestic campaign and they need to recover for the World Cup qualifiers and the BoF, so we'll have to give the Olympics a skip". The women's team will also miss out due to an injury crisis and fears they won't be competitive enough. They are however, expected to participate in the next Olympics with a number of promising youngsters coming through.

Porabasta are confident of securing at least a few medals at the games. Their best event has to be boxing. It's extremely popular and there's a strong boxing culture in the country. And because boxing is so popular karate, taekwando, judo and wrestling are basically non existent. Thiago Barrios (light flyweight), Juan Sebastian Palacio (middleweight) and Ivan Reyes (heavyweight) are all fine boxers and national champions who will fancy their chances of getting a medal. The women also have some impressive boxers too however, in particular Valarie Montenegro who's been the national heavyweight champion for a record 8 years in a row. Porabasta also have strong athletes competing in short distance aquatics and athletics as well as tennis and cycling. The official flagbearer will be the incredible Thiago Ocampos who's dominated domestic cycling for a number of years.

The eyes of the nation will be on the Free Republics as the Olympics kick off in just a few days. And no matter what happens over the next couple of months, Porabasta is in for a historic and remarkable summer as it makes its long awaited Olympics debut.

[Kriegiersien]

The Issue

Kriegiersien needs a mascot for the Olympic Games with which they can identify.
The Olympics will start soon and some people demand a mascot for the Nation, representing them. Kriegiersien never had one before, so it is time. Isn't it?

The Debate

1. “We don’t need more stuff, we already have plenty, man”, says Nick Beat, a hippie, who somehow evaded your Elite Guards and Security Systems, gifting all of your Bodyguards a flower.
“These over commercialized and horrible barbaric bred and games have to be stopped. Let’s make a happening in the wild instead, burn a straw man and dance, organize a music festival, man. Give us real art.
Love and peace!”, he adds, while being dragged out by two soldiers, who stormed in with Flame Throwers.

Accept ✔

2. Daisy Darling, a friendly pink Pony and representative of Ponynesien and for cuddle hours, cheerfully hops in.
“How about something nice? Fluffy? Cute?”, she asks, while fluttering with her eyelids and shy sliding carefully an adorable doll of a pony over the desk into your hands.
“Everyone would love that. Ohoh. And we could also make it out of chocolate if you want. I love white crisps.”

Accept ✔

3. “We could make a few and stuff explosives into it. Maybe even radioactive. And then at the right time kabooom, destroy the Republic. Or put armoured armed Supersoldiers in disguise into some and conquer it. That will show them to invite us”, your oldest military advisor sniggers drooling in his wheelchair, making noises of explosions until the nurse by his side feeds him some pills.

Accept ✔

4. “I am in a knitting and handiwork circle. We could make a mascot and then donate the earnings”, whispers yours secretary, mother of five, while serving you tea. “My grandchildren and their friends, and maybe people in their schools and your guards could help, too. We should create something great and helpful and have fun.”

Accept ✔

5. “Bollocks, we are wasting time”, interrupts Martin Member, businessman and father of the Karateka Morgan Member. "What is the symbol of our nation? Which is our animal? The scorpion! It will strike fear and awe into our opponents hearts and win us the love of the others. I have already made some, we can start mass production immediately. For a modest price and made by unemployed children out of cheap, nearly nontoxic, inflammable material. Here”, he shows you a model on his hand, that suddenly begins to move and sting him. “It looks exactly like this real version. Whoooho, that hurts. Powerful animal, like our nation, you get twen...10 % of the income.. look for my son..”, he mumbles before he faints.

Accept ✔

X Dismiss This Issue

[Greater vakolicci haven]

From the personal journal of king Blacksen of Celeria

When we are children, we believe we are going to live forever. The world is green, and every day in our memory is filled with blessed sunshine or the rich and powdery snow that heralds an easy day of no school and endless play. We live to breathe in the sweetly-scented Celari air with which we are so blessed by the gods, to make friendships that must surely last forever, and to exist without stress or thoughts of the future. Absolute freedom lives in the mind of the Celari child, and how can such a child invision that ending?
When the needs of our education become greater, we feel the first pains of adulthood begin to bite in: we cannot roam with our friends endlessly, because their are deadlines we need to meet; nor can we have dirty knees and mucky faces, because impressions must be kept. We begin to think about new things that just a few years since seemed alien and adult to us: love, the need to seem more adult, the need to be more responsible. How late we learn that it is power and responsibility that kill us in the end, how late until we have children of our own and our greatest responsibility is to shelter them from the realities that are going on around them until their minds are strong enough to handle the truth.

From our young adulthood comes the period in which we must face facts. The world is not our own, whatever your privilege may be: though some can still enjoy the chilelike pleasure of walking in after a day in the sun to find iced sweet tea abundant and quickly available, most don't have that luxury. We realise, shortly and harshly, that whatever our place we are one cog in that great machine called life, and if we die? If we die, our loved ones mourn, they may suffer, they will miss us: but this great miracle of life continues and after a while even our loved ones move on from the loss of us: and sooner or later, the last person who remembers that we ever existed is dead and gone themselves. We are forgotten: if we arefortunate a dusty tome might record our lives as having existed: the truly lucky amongst us may even have whole books devoted to us...but our laughter and our voice is gone forever, save in a few recorded scraps at the edge of human interest.

Walking onto the plane today through the airport that bears my fathers name taught me this, and made what I have been told stand out so clearly in my mind: in that sports stadium so long ago it was him, but in this one it may well be me.

I have come to terms with it, really. I am dying. I won't live as long as my wife, my mother, my sisters or brother. I'll never see my little boy grow up into the fine young man he should become: those smiles, kisses, joys and sadnesses will be hidden behind the veil for me. My family will lift me up and carry me to my grave, and the worst thing is that my mother will be there to watch it all as it occurs; her son died before her and she is as helpless as I am to stop it. Once again, that cruel cancer which eats my family whole has chosen a victim, and it chose him young: so this is my last Olympics. If by some miracle I watch the next one, curled into a pathetic ball on a hospital bed, begging for more morphene to dull both pain and reality, I won't be running in it. Already I can feel my strength beginning to fade on me, I can't run as far or think as clearly as once I could...but I'm still going to try. I'm still going to be the best I can be, because that is what I do. I'm not sure my son knows I'm his Dad half the time because I can never play...my wife sleeps alne most nights because Celeria needs me. And so if I collapse on the finishing line this month, know that I did it for my country, like I gave up sleep for my country, I missed the happiest years of my sons life for my country, I brought my death on sooner...for my country.
I love you all, and I hope you remember me fondly. The greatest disappointment is to know you will be forgotten when all is said and done.

[Siovanija and Teusland]

STBC News

Sports

Siovanija and Teusland Prepares for Olympic Games

OLYMPIANS SET OFF FOR REPUBLICA

A large crowd of adoring fans gathered at Borograd’s Milan Dimitrov International Airport today to send off Siovanija and Teusland’s Olympic athletes, bound for the Olympic Games in Republica, Free Republics.
The athletes, waiting for departure, hung around the airport lobby, signing autographs, chatting with fans, and finding time to speak to those in the media. “It’s so cool to see them up-close,” commented Ivan, 9 years old. “We’ll be cheering them on the whole way!” The athletes seemed to be in high spirits on the day.

“We’re looking forward to it, it’s the first time we’re participating at the Olympic Games and so it’s our first big opportunity on the world stage. We’ve got some athletes who are hoping to be very competitive for medals, and really it’s going to be a great opportunity for the country,” commented STOC President Milan Vranchev to media gathered in the Dimitrov Airport’s business class lounge. Some of the athletes shared his opinion. Boxer Helmut Langschreiner added “We’ve been waiting our whole lives for this, and so of course it’s exciting. Lot of nerves, too, but I think once we’re there and in business that’ll disappear.”

Before boarding the flight, Milan Vranchev addressed the crowd and thanked them for their support. The athletes were showered with flowers as they headed down the ramp to the boarding area, and the crowd burst into a rendition of the national anthem. Moments later, the athletes were in flight and the crowd had dispersed.

Soon, the athletes will touch down in Republica, Free Republics, their home for the duration of the Games.

PRESIDENT FLEISS TO ATTEND GAMES

President of the Republic Joachim Fleiss will also be present in Republica, attending the Opening Ceremonies as well as taking in a few events in the first days of competition. The full schedule of President Fleiss’ visit has not been announced, but the President is reportedly most interested in the boxing, football and archery competitions.

It will be one of the final diplomatic engagements of President Fleiss’ term in office, as his term as President will come to an end after this year’s autumn election. Throughout his term, the President has been a vocal supporter of sport in Siovanija and Teusland, and this will be the culmination of his efforts to help the nation grow on the international stadium.

Also in the diplomatic contingent travelling to the Games will be Vice Chancellor Sven Siemens and Minister of Sport Monica Gradl. Chancellor Kiril Rysinov expressed his support for the athletes, and wished them the best of luck.

OPENING CEREMONY INFORMATION REVEALED

One of the great moments of these Olympic Games will be to see the Siovanija and Teusland Olympic team make their entrance at the Opening Ceremonies for the first time, and the Siovanija and Teusland Olympic Committee has revealed to the press just exactly how the Goldhorns will debut.

Helmut Langschreiner, the heavyweight boxer, has been given the honour of flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony. “Helmut was a natural choice, he’s a big face of this team and is a great representative of our nation,” commented STOC President Vranchev. “Oh it’s a big honour, I’m so proud to be chosen for this, and it’s going to be a night I won’t forget,” commented Langschreiner.

What our athletes will wear to the ceremony has also been a topic of discussion, but we can now confirm the style choice. Formal wear designed by Frank-Steitz AG will be worn by the athletes. Athletes will wear a dark-blue suit, with pants or a skirt available to be worn with it. The coat of arms of Siovanija and Teusland will be seen on the suit, and on the cuffs, the writing ‘Games of the XIII Olympiad’ will be embroidered in both Siovanijan and Teus languages. On each athlete’s lapel, an edelweiss flower will be worn.

Finally, each athlete will wear a traditional Alpine hat as headgear for the ceremony. The hat will match with the suit, and will also feature gold and blue feathers. “We wanted to provide a modern version of our national heritage, and so we’ve taken elements from the traditional folk costumes of the country and brought them together with a new style. We’re pleased with how it’s turned out, and look forward to watching the Opening Ceremonies and cheering on our athletes,” said a representative for Steitz.

THE GAMES: OUR EXPECTATIONS

What should the expectations on our athletes be at these Olympics? Let’s take a look at the overall situation as Siovanija and Teusland heads into our first Olympic Games.

Firstly, these are the first ever Olympics our nation will enter, and are a Summer Games at that. Siovanija and Teusland has traditionally been a nation more successful in winter sports, and more pressure is placed on athletes in those competitions. Many athletes will be competing internationally for the first time here at the Olympics. Siovanija and Teusland won’t be amongst the leaders in the medal count, but this was never an expectation for the nation.

There are some athletes and events, however, who have opportunities at these Games and should be at least contending for medals. In this category is the flag bearer Helmut Langschreiner, the men’s heavyweight boxer. Irena Kostov (tennis) is a highly skilled player as well, who while likely not a large favourite in her competition has the potential to challenge.

An event with a few hopefuls for the nation is women’s gymnastics, where Violeta Lukanova and Zornitsa Ilieva can both be considered challengers, Lukanova probably the more likely of the two. In addition, both Lukanova and Ilieva are part of the women’s team gymnastics event alongside Ana Salkova, Rosa Ganeva and Gabriella Kostova.

Emil Specht, competing in the Men’s 100m athletics event, is the nation’s best chance in this event, but he is competing amongst a 128 person field and will have his work cut out for him. In team events, men’s and women’s football are expected to be good teams but not necessarily medal competitive, while women’s volleyball is in that same position. Men’s volleyball, however, is a weaker area for us.

Liselotte Schierer is probably the most well-known amongst the athletes in our nation, and she is expected to be competitive in the women’s archery event. Schierer will also be the subject of our first Athlete Profile of the Games.


The Olympic Games are beginning soon, and the Olympic spirit seems to have captured the nation of Siovanija and Teusland. We’ll be here from start to finish covering the achievements of our athletes, as well as providing more information on our athletes through Athlete Profiles.

[Kelssek]

RESEARCH BRIEF
The four-edition participation pattern in the Olympic Games

Olympic Council officials have long suggested that there is an increase in participation every four Olympic cycles, with a two-year offset for the Winter and Summer Olympics. This is often referred to as the “Olympiad effect” after the four-year unit of time measurement, of which the original Olympic Games were a celebration of. In this paper we refer to Olympic Games held on the fourth year of this cycle as “on-year” and all others as “off-years”.

For the Winter Olympics, the four-Games cycles appears to have started with the second edition. Thus, the on-years would be the 1st, 5th, 9th, and 13th Olympic cycles. For the Summer Olympics, the on-years are the 3rd, 7th, and 11th.

Figure 1. Participation in the Olympic Games.

The highest number of participating national Olympic committees (NOCs) was seen in the 9th Winter Olympics, where 120 NOCs participated in on-year. The highest number of NOCs for a Summer Olympics (103) was the 6th Summer Olympics, which however was in an off-year.

Evidently, the number of NOCs fluctuates for many other reasons, so there is no one proper basis for comparison to see how much a new Olympiad affects the participation in the Olympic Games. One way is to compare to the previous edition. On this basis, there was an increase in participation for both summer and winter each time, with the exception of the 7th Summer Olympics (when it actually fell from the Summer Olympics’ all-time high). In all other cases, there was an increase of 32 – 39 per cent over the previous edition.

Another way is to compare the on-year with the average of all the preceding on-years. The picture is more mixed with this measure, but by this method the new Olympiad always increases the number of NOCs participating against the average of the previous three editions; albeit in two cases not by very much.

Table 1. Change against the off-year average.

Conclusion
There hence appears to be strong evidence supporting the “Olympiad effect” increasing the number of participating NOCs in the Olympic Games. Further research would preferably involve research teams being sent to ski resorts with full expense accounts in order to investigate Winter Olympics anomalies.

[Mattijana]

Summer Olympics: Can Mattijana build on record medal tally?

Amongst the peaks of the Mattijanan ZentraleAlpe, the snow has fallen and the Winter Sports season is about to hit full swing. This year is a little different however as the sub-zero stars give way to those used to hotter climes.

That's because the Summer Olympics are back and this time, they're in the depths of (Mattijanan)winter.

This is for two main reasons. The first was an almighty administrative blackout from the International Olympic Council that meant there was a delay in appointing a host city for the games. The second is that the climate in the Free Republics seems to operate on a completely different timeframe to that in Mattijana.

This has made for an interesting, but productive summer season. With athletes normally training through the drearier winter off-season to prepare for a games during the Mattijanan summer, participants have this year been able to compete in their usual summer competitions, therefore fitting in more, better quality training time. The risk for the busier athletes is a big one though- burnout.

This is especially true for those involved in some of Mattijana's most popular team sports. The hockey teams have both come off the back of tiring, full domestic seasons as the Olympic games usually replace a large chunk of the season. The football, instead of being nestled comfortably in the international off-season, is now sandwiched between the nation's long (but victorious) Campionato Esportiva and another energy sapping World Cup Qualifying campaign.

This olympiad is different to those in previous years for another reason. The expectation.

Mattijana established itself as a world sporting heavyweight at the last Winter Olympics, where they finished second behind only host nation Electrum after scooping 6 gold medals. Their summer record is a little less impressive, the marmots finishing 9th in the final medals table, but also winning an impressive 39 medals including 10 golds.

Despite the strange timing of the event, at least to those from Mattijanan soil, there are more reasons to be both excited and optimistic for the return of the greatest show on earth.

Returning Favourites:

Amazingly, all 10 of Mattijana's gold medallists are back to defend their titles. Julian Svetlanic was the first to win in the 100m freestyle swimming and will be the first to try and win a second successive medal early in the games as the aquatics take up their traditional first week slot.

800m runner Finja Mikelson, who took a somewhat surprising win in Kelssek last Olympiad, will be next to go. He beat Seri Valekastre by under a fifth of a second and faces a Vekaiyan keen to get the gold this time around.

High jumper Mathilde Leku claimed Mattijana's second athletics gold with a sparkling win. Despite nearly bowing out of the final in 7th at 1.99, she produced a solid jump and went on to clear 2.09, more than enough to beat second-placed Ginny Wong at 2.05.

The nation would have to wait until day 20 until their next gold and whilst the sport it came in was less of a surprise, the winner perhaps was. With former silver medallist Brawno Longarmija still in the mix going into the final throw, the focus was on him rather than 4th-placed Sami Sackov. However Longarmija mistimed his hurl and it was Sackov who produced the goods out of relative mediocrity, throwing a 21.52 to beat Brett Lambie by just 3 cm.

The next gold medal would fall not just to an unexpected winner, but in an unexpected sport. Rowing is by no means the most popular activity in Mattijana, but the team of Alexandra Mikeljaniĉ, Katija Ljubansa, Jasmin Ulkik and Ameli Rikali claimed a big victory in the quadruple skulls event, much to the delight of the small cohort of rowers back home.

Normal service was resumed on the athletics track soon after. The men's sprinters had endured a difficult time individually, but came together spectacularly to claim gold in the 4x100 relay with a time of 37.35.

With the athletics action over, attentions turned elsewhere for the final few days of the games. Sami Gladio claimed a relatively obscure win in an obscure sport with gold in the 98kg Greco-Roman wrestling with a 3-1 victory in the final over a soldier from the former Gregoryisgodistan.

The confidence around the rowing team following the women's quadruple skulls win seemed to be flowing in abundance and it perhaps proved to be the decisive factor in the men's coxed 8s final as the Mattijanans beat Kelssek by just 2 hundreths of a second for gold number 8.

Gold numer 9 came along not days or hours, but minutes later. Six rowing teams with big dreams arrived at the start line for the women's coxless 4s. For the Mattijanan boat of Sabrina Tomasiĉ, Katarina Tadiĉ, Daniella Kreuzinger and Nikita Bledski, those dreams would become reality.

Georga Danic would round things off for a record-breaking Mattijanan team as he claimed a gruelling, but dominant win in the 50 km race walk, taking 3 hours, 37 minutes and 37 seconds to get across the line.

Expecting all of Mattijana's heroes last Olympiad to repeat their success would certainly be ambitious, but there are signs of good form amongst some of the athletes and increased funding to athletics and rowing after the 12th games will have helped those athletes who have already tasted success.

Hungry for More

Listing all the Mattijanan athletes who nearly won a gold medal or were agonisingly close to the podium would take some time, but there are some notable examples amongst them.

The foremost of them is the women's hockey team. The national sport of Mattijana is always well-watched at the Olympics and with the men unluckily bowing out at the group stage, the expectation was on the women to deliver a medal. They looked likely to do that from early on in the tournament, romping to first place in the group with a 0-0 draw against Vangaziland the only blot on the results list. They rattled through their knockout games in similar fashion, eventually setting up an enticing final against Vilita and Turori.
Despite a good start to the game, the Mattijanans had to settle for silver as their opposition made a good comeback to take the match 4-2.
Mattijana however, are back. After a hectic, but encouraging domestic season, the team will take to the astroturf to try and upgrade their silver to gold.

Mattijanan tennis is another area in which despite quality, medals failed to materialise. That may be about to change however. Since the last Olympics, Dominika Lisicki has shot to the edge of the world's top 20 whilst Maria Julenic and Mattias Burges both sit inside the top 50. In the mixed doubles, Lisicki and partner Rikard Kampl have already broken into the top 20, followed closely by Julian Slazic and Lara Basic and there is a feeling in the Mattijanan camp that this could be their year to take home some metal.

New Sports

As well as returning athletes and even fresh faces, there are also a raft of new events coming in for this year's games, introducing not only the potential prestige of being an Olympic gold medallist, but of being the first athlete to claim glory in that event.

For Mattijana, there is particular encouragement in women's softball. The team won the tournament at the last games when both it and baseball were featured as demonstration sports and with no real markers of form between then and now, Mattijana will be favourites to take home the inaugural gold.
The exclusion of women's baseball and men's softball as medal events has however irked many national Olympic associations across the multiverse. Newmanistan in particular, where baseball is by far the most popular and successful sport, have boycotted the games entirely over the decision. Regardless of the controversy however, there is still glory to be had for two particular teams.

On a different tack, the sport (or indeed three consecutive sports) of triathlon has introduced an exciting new discipline for this edition of the games. The sprint relay pits teams of 2 male and 2 female triathletes against one another, with each completing a mini triathlon consisting of a 300m swim, 6.6km cycle and 1km run before tagging off to their teammate.

The long-awaited introduction of Karate is also something to get excited about whilst the thrilling sports of climbing and skateboarding are also debuting in Republica.

Yet it is one of the demonstration sports that has really raised eyebrows in Esportiva. For the first time, motor racing is making an appearance at an Olympics.
The segregation of the sport into make and female events is a frustration for a sport used to a level playing field between genders, but some of the best drivers from around the multiverse are involved including WGPC and WGP2 champions Jessica Franssen and Karli Schmitt, both from Vangaziland.
Despite a strong Vangazi presence in the event, Mattijana's WGPC 16 constructor's championship winners MRT are rumoured to be heavily involved with the production of a Mattijanan car and Jasmin Kranjska and Alex Dimitrianov will be on hand to drive it in their prospective events, alongside young guns Ekatarina Julic and Dominik Vestergaard. With motor racing incredibly popular following the recent home success in Mattijana, the inaugural Olympic race will be closely watched despite there not even being a medal at stake.

The Moneys

There is often a strong correlation between financial backing and success and with funding for Mattijanan sport, both at grassroots and elite level, at a record high, there is reason to suggest that the nation will have more to celebrate after the games.
Athletics and Rowing have in particular benefitted after stronger-than-expected showings in Kelssek and Vekaiyu in which they accounted for 8 of Mattijana's 10 golds between them.

Mattijana's sports funding system rewards not only success however, but also potential. Sports recognised as having exceptional structures in the run up to this olympiad were triathlon and tennis and despite dissapointment in previous games, Julian Petrov and his department of sport have given them the opportunity to make up.

Whatever the results though, the Olympics is always a fantastic spectacle and this edition is shaping up to be no different.

[Kalosia]

Kalosia u l'Olimpiade is brought to you by Lë Punto Kotidianu.

Everything you need to know about the Kalosian team

Thousands of supporters from all over the multiverse are now arriving alongside their revered athletes in Republica, the Free Republics, which plays host to the Games of the XIII Olympiad. 80 delegations from 71 countries will compete this year.
Kalosia is sending a whopping 50 athletes competing in 81 events across the different sports, an improvement from the 9-strong delegation who competed last year in Novonaya & Provinsk, at the end of a hiatus spanning almost half a decade. All 9 of those athletes are returning this year.

The 50 Kalosians will compete across 14 different disciplines, consisting of Aquatics (4 athletes), Athletics (6), Badminton (6), Boxing (1), Canoeing (2), Cycling (1), Equestrian (2), Fencing (2), Gymnastics (8), Sailing (9), Table Tennis (1), regular Tennis (5), Volleyball (2), and Weightlifting (1). You can view the profiles of each athlete in the interactive widget below:

Athletes to look for include BMX Cyclist Massimilian Dalesso, the Sitšilianu siblings playing Beach Voleyball, tennis players Armani Mata and Mariza Kaľat, and the Sailing team. Massimilian Dalesso, cousin of singer Rian Dalesso, was infamously involved in an accident in the semifinals of last year's Olympic cycling event, but has since recovered and, for the second year in a row, will be the flagbearer. Luka and Paolo Sitšilianu are also returning, hoping to beat their previous attempt where they qualified from the group round of beach volleyball but were stopped in the quarter final round.

Armani Mata and Mariza Kaľat are extremely skilled tennis players who hope to secure the nation's first podium finish at a Summer Olympics in years. Finally, rumour has it that the Kalosian government, eager to build a national image as a maritime power, has invested heavily in the sport of sailing. As a result, athletes competing in sailing make up almost a fifth of the entire delegation.

As all athletes are preparing to make history in the Free Republics, Kalosians can only hope for the best and cheer on for their national representatives, both in the arena and at home.

[Beepee]

Beepee's Olympic Media Broadcast

Beepee's Olympic Athletes have finally arrived in glorious Republica filled with the anticipation and excitement of becoming Beepee's first ever Olympic Team.

Which of these fine Beepeean specimen will become a hero in their own time? Let's look at some of the best Beepeean athletes.

Ivo Dhjukharevic

Entered into both singles and doubles tennis (with Dusan Ventaromovich),
Ivo Djukharevic is Beepee's best chance at a tennis medal. The 19 year old is winner of the Local Beepeean Tennis Championships and also of the Mercedinian Open.

Having previously had a tumultuous relationship with other Beepeean players, serve volleyer, Ivo has relaxed in recent weeks and says he's coming into the Olympics refreshed and ready to do his best.

The volatile player will be looking to cause an upset or two during the competition.

Jack Hapsworth

Jack Hapsworth won the Beepeean Athletics Championships, the qualifying competition for the Beepeean Olympic Team, with a 100m time of 10.13s - a Beepeean Record

One of four athletes to obtain the qualifying time, the four have also been entered into the 4x100m relay.

Despite being the best in Beepee, Jack is considered rank outsider for the blue riband event.

America Guzman, Macie Valencia and Kaydence Hart

The Beepeean Athletics fans will likely be most interested in the women's 200m event which contains three of Beepee's strongest female athletes.

America, Macie and Kaydence topped Beepee's most competitive local event with all 8 finalists achieving the qualifying standard.

Beepeeans will no doubt be delighted if one of our heroic female athletes survive the qualifying rounds.

A full list of Beepee's Delgation can be found here:
https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1126395

Ted Wong, Beepee's Chef De Mission, has praised the Free Republics for the high standard of accommodation and the warm welcome the Beepeean Athletes have received. Arriving in Republica, Mr Wong sand "Our Olympic Athletes look forward to participating in the XIII Olympiad.

"We endeavour to make the Beepeean public proud with our goals of fair play and in the spirit of friendship that these games represent."

[Todd McCloud]

Provinsk: Aftermath of a Host City
Reporting for V3 News Services, Rin Slakori

REPUBLICA - Yes, we've landed in Republic a city nestled in the Federation of Free Republics. We arrived yesterday, to be exact, in anticipation for the arrival of the athletes from the home nation, along with the throngs of fans who will undoubtedly cheer them on. Yet what about Provinsk? Will their still be the stale echoes of cheers hidden in the rafters of Yemestrovi Field? Will the spectacle of Ikrisia Sulevire shattering the Women's 100m backstroke record still play in the minds of those who witnessed that feat in the Provinsk Staso Vilistruyave (Provinsk Sport Natatorium)? Could we perhaps peer in between the lines of Premier Levinile's speech to open the games on that fateful night where the air smelled like warm polymer resin and gaze at the awestruck faces, faces belonging to vulpine and human alike, who, after having just watched a unique performance, were now captivated by an underwater flame working its way up to a burning cauldron?

Old fliers and programs can still be found in corners across the large industrial city of Provinsk, a city whose history had been littered with battles won and lost, providing a unique flair among the populace, a sort of independent streak unrivaled among the twenty-six provinces. Murals painted across formerly-drab walls with messages of unity and competitive spirit are still visible via a stroll in (more often than not) the southern district or via a cab ride towards downtown. Banners celebrating in particular the home athletes are still dotted across some storefronts - yellowed, yes, but safeguarded by nationalistic pride.

It's a sort of thing we've come to expect from Provinsk. Because Provinskis, with their beet-dyed hair and open mindedness, are fluid enough to adjust to something as impactful as co-hosting an Olympiad.

"Any nation, or city in particular, that hosts these games will undoubtedly render certain challenges that can and often do provide some discomfort," Provinsk Overseer Yiisu Rimiskole commented shortly after the games. "We had the luck of having most of our facilities newer, and therefore attractive toward voters, though admittedly some needed serious rework. The Hall of Kevlar was designed with seats that were more adept at fitting vulpines. This, of course, had to change."

And change it did. The seating capacity before the games still at just under 29,000. After seating adjustments (adjustments used lightly here, as many seats ended up being ripped from their bases and replaced with newer models), capacity dwindled to 22,284. And actually, as we know, the project was not completed in time, which caused for some uncomfortable problems, namely, asking human crowds to take "larger seating" for comfort, which some fans took as a show of segregating the species. The Hall of Kevlar, to this day, remains incomplete in these endeavors, with newer, larger seating sticking out against the historic ones, a reminder of some of the challenges a nonhuman host nation must endure.

Cramped seating was a witnessed for other sporting venues, though little to no changes were made there. Instead, bilingual signs were updated and posted to handle a more international flair. While such signage is indeed important, their usage is nearly useless in Islasi Rostrovistre Sen Provinsk (The Water Palace of Provinsk), one of two aquatic arenas selected by the Vekaiyun Olympic Committee. While such arenas are frequented by a vulpine populace who speak Unonian, this is generally not the case for those who speak Codexian, especially considering the mainstay sport - Underwater Hockey - hasn't really caught on in the international world. It was believed this could "kick-start" a following, especially as the sport was approved for demonstration purposes, but sadly the infrastructure built around these two arenas have not seen the numbers they were once promised.

"Provinsk is not in the heart of Vekaiyu," Professional League Women's Underwater Hockey Commissioner Sayli Imlaseru reminded during an interview with V3 News Services. "It made sense that Provinsk would therefore lead the way for international competition, as the city is large and relatively easy to get to, especially considering a strong presence of nations from The East Pacific fielding teams. But it never quite garnered the flair we anticipated. It's... not like sitting and watching a football game or a baseball game. The facilities are indoors, and you essentially watch a few dozen players swim around for several hours. For those who are used to the former, it could make for an awkward experience, something we noticed first-hand during the Olympiad, but perhaps secretly hoped was due to the newness of the sport in their eyes and the end-of-games fatigue."

Yet where can one find use in the bilingual attitude of Provinsk? "Those Unonian-to-Codexian phrasebooks," gold-medal athlete and Provinski Imanov Igalso remarked. "You could probably build houses with them." The swimmer proceeded to show us about town, where information posts were laden with them, right next to pamphlets highlighting the success of the Twelfth Summer Games. "They were ridiculously cheap, ℣0.79 to be exact, but I think [the Vekaiyun government] made too many or something. They're literally everywhere."

But aside from lots of papers, renovations, and dampened hopes, the city underwent a small recession shortly after the games as financial reports did not live up to the predictive numbers, numbers that were conservative to begin with. "It seemed if a fan had the choice between a human nation that speaks their language and a vulpine nation, most would choose the human nation," Overseer Yiisu Rimiskole remarked. "We expected this. But the drop off after the first week or so was staggering. Many of the events in Provinsk were over by the first half, and, consequently, they went to view the other city. I can say, though, we have undergone a steady recovery, and our hangover isn't nearly as troubling as other cities who have undertaken this daunting task."

And what the Overseer is most proud of? "It wasn't cheap, but our security presence was phenomenal. They took a wonderful experience and ensured it would be safe for fan and athlete alike."

Time will tell where Provinsk will rank as a host city, but many in Vekaiyu appear proud of how the city conducted itself. Internationally, while the experience was certainly different, it hopefully paved the way for other nonhuman nations to step up and accept the clarion call of opening their borders to curious fans from across the 'verse. As for this reporter, impartial as I should be, it was certainly an experience I won't soon forget - from watching the opening ceremonies to having my car break down and forced to watch a few swimming matches from a fuzzy television in a bar I have since grown an affinity for.

[Electrum]

OOC: This is in the same vein as the Onion.

The Turnip: Everything you need to know about the Olympics
by Ezekiel Starlight III

With the Summer Olympics just around the corner in Republica, The Turnip has kindly compiled a handy compilation of factoids to present to your friends in these Olympic Games! Superific! There are athletes from all over the world competing in a wide variety of new sports.

1. There is always some kind of bomb threat - Terrorists these days lack the creativity and rigour! Every year, some crackpot nation somewhere has bomb threats or terrorists threats related to some kind of participation in the Olympics. Honestly, not that classy at all.

2. Republica is a haven for belly dancing - Ever since the days of modesty from the former Holy Republican Empire, a lot of immoral activities in Republica had to resort to modesty to make a living; lest they be caught by the modesty police, so instead, all of the sexually licentious behaviour was replaced with belly dancing. Cultural attitudes are hard to shift now that the HRE has collapsed, and belly dancing is here to stay. In fact, the Opening Ceremony will dedicate thirty minutes of running time just on belly dancing. Groovy!

3. Volleyballers have to visualise the ball as Margaret in order to win - It is a well known fact that Margaret is most hated in the sport of Volleyball. Why? Because players have to visualise her head every time they give the ball a smack. Indeed, it is a trick that only the very best of volleyballers know -- if they imagine the hatred they have for the Goddess of Sport, they hit the ball with such verocity, hoping that it hits the ground on the other side. Gentle taps just won't do in this sport, they really want to sock it to her.

4. In Republica, the sport of Equestrian used to be played on sapient ponies - Another strange but true fact. Back in the ancient times, where modern society was still developing, all across the Free Republics, sapient horses were locked up for the sole use of being exploited for Equestrian. Then, the Constitution was signed, forbidding slavery and the ponies were free! This is why the Free Republics and Equestrian States have such a bad rivalry against each other, because some of those freed ponies learned to fly, and created their own nation, which would one day become the Equestrian States.

5. Fencers get an automatic victory if they actually kill an opponent - A little known rule, but fencing is one of the most dangerous sports in the Olympics. Simply put, if fencers manage to kill an opponent (e.g. by thrusting with enough force to go through the face mask and through one of the eyeballs or by tapping a person's self-destruct button, hidden behind the ear), then they get the automatic victory and advance to the next round, no questions asked. This comes from the Medieval tradition of fencing, where the victor was found by whoever killed the other person first. Neato!

[Porabasta]

The Flagbearer: Inside the mind of Thiago Ocampos

The Guardian: Juan Gomez



It was dusk when I got to the hotel room of Thiago Ocampos, a great Porabastian cyclist and the country's flagbearer for this years games. He welcomed me with open arms and proceeded to get two glasses from a small cupboard. He obviously didn't want any alcohol so soon to the Olympics so instead he poured two glasses of milk instead. We walked to his balcony and took a seat. He sat admiring the view for a few moments, as the sun began setting and giving way to a beautiful night sky. "It scares me sometimes", he said, no time wasted with casual conversation, "what does?" I replied, intrigued "The fact that at any moment your life can just end and there's nothing you can do about it. It's my biggest fear." "But you know the fact that death is inevitable makes me want to enjoy each moment even more. I'm so grateful to be alive." I admired his ability to show such vulnerability to someone he's only just met. "My life mantra is you either get busy living or get busy dying." I smiled, giving a knowing nod at the reference to one of my favourite films.

"So what does it feel like, being an Olympic flagbearer? Do you enjoy the responsibility?" I asked. His face lit up with pride. "Of course, I love it! It's a huge honour and it's a hard to describe how much it means to me. I love this country and to represent it like this is the stuff of dreams." I decided to try and get even more of an insight into his mentality "So how do you deal with the pressure of it all, the weight of expectation?" He took a sip of his glass of milk and stared in to my eyes "You see it's crucial to have the right mentality if you want to be successful in high level sports. I used to fear failure but not anymore. You've got to accept that failure is ok, everyone fails. You've got to reframe emotions. When I sit on the seat of that bike in the biggest events I don't feel afraid, I feel excited because I see it as an opportunity, not a threat." I nodded my head and it only just dawned on me how strong these elite athletes have to be not only physically, but mentally.

We talked on the balcony for a while before heading inside and playing a battle royal video game, which he says helps him unwind. I was taken aback by how good he was, getting 12 kills en route to our duo's victory. "Maybe I should compete in the esports event", he chuckled. He was joking but he could probably do a decent job. As I walked away from his hotel room I had even more respect for the man who said he'd auction off his medals and give the money to a children's foundation if he won. Thiago Ocampos is an inspiration to millions of Porabastians. He's an amazing role model and the the perfect person to represent Porabasta at their first ever Olympics.

[The Sarian]

Republica Olympics build-up


Who we’re watching:
With the Games of the Thirteenth Olympiad just days away, The National Herald gives you the all the information you need to be an expert viewer.

Aquatics

The Sarian has traditionally had a mixed record in the swimming pool. Despite Enrico Winters becoming the first Sari athlete to win two Olympic medals (a gold and a bronze medal in the The Kytler Peninsulae), only two medals were to follow in the historic haul of the 11th Olympics. Synchronized swimming and diving have always provided great hope with little return since victories in the 9th Olympics. With little quality facilities in New Saria, the continued decline may just well continue.

Twenty year old twins Owen and Thomas Drabwell head up the swim-team with the former having a medal chance in the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle events. Sari athletes have traditionally found luck in the 100 metre backstroke, which has both the twin duo competing although few outside New Saria will be rating either’s chances to take home any medal. Unlike his twin, Thomas is a more rounded athlete although it is only the individual medley events in which you can expect him to be competitive. Disaster in the 200 metre Butterfly at the national finals, which saw Thomas disqualified, rules him out of his other potential medal target.

Elsewhere in swimming, teenage prodigy Lauren Anderson will hope to be competitive in the 100 metre freestyle and both the 200 and 400 metre individual medleys after impressive performances at national competitions, although she will perhaps see the games in Republica as a chance to build experience for the next Olympiad. Despite an inconsistent couple of seasons, Olivia Thompson will be aiming for a strong finish in the 10 km outdoor swim which could provide for another outside chance at a medal.

In diving, Tom Moore could do well in the 3 metre springboard, though has traditionally been poor in the 10 metre event whilst Jimmy Brown offers the opposite. If it were not for budget constraints, it is possible that neither would be competing in their weaker events. What is certain is that neither would be competing in the synchronised events, which they have never competed in competitively together. The Women’s events see a similar lack of medal potential, although Jess Brown and Lucy Smith will benefit from the coaching of former Olympic medalist, Prudence Foster.

Artistic Swimming, formerly known as synchronized swimming, is the best chance for medals within the pool with all disciplines providing capable teams. In the male duet, Francis Plum and Louis Mare will look to build on their viral performance at the national championships whilst married pair Katja and Amy Thomas have hit peak form at the right time and have an outside shot at coming home with a medal which seemed impossible just six months ago. The male team has returned to it’s best, and gold medal winning coach Daniel Myall will look to build on his past successes whilst the women's team also has an outside chance of scoring a medal.

Oh and Water Polo can be fun to watch, but any Sari viewer past the group stage will probably be doing so as a neutral observer. Still good though.

Athletics

Formerly, Sari athletes had a strong record in track events and a poor heritage when it came to the field. Then, during the 11th Olympics, The Sarian failed to take home a single track medal whilst taking home two golds on the field - the Women’s javelin and discus. Again, the lack of Olympic-grade facilities could hamper any chance of building on past successes, although traditional Sari successes in Race Walking have a good chance of being repeated.

The lack of quality on the track sees only Jasmine Ojawoma (Women’s 10000 meters) and Molly Elizabeth Evans (Women's 100 metre hurdles) being seen as the only possibilities to reach the final of their respective events, let-alone any medal potential. For the purpose of dragging this paragraph out, the Women's 4x100 metre relay team have been looking good in practise, and the four athletes training at the same centre could give them an edge that only camaraderie could provide. That being said, be very surprised if they all come home with medals around their necks.

The field events provides greater opportunities to see Sari athletes competing competently, although medal opportunities may still prove elusive. For the men, Steve Butler’s impressive showing at the national finals has led to him being seen as an outside chance in the Javelin Throw whilst Ruben Peters will also be looking to cap an excellent season with a good performance in Republica. In the Shot Put, Philip Owens has been looking increasingly impressive although worries about a recurring shoulder injury may cost him the final place he desires. Another athlete open about his wish to reach the final of his event is Aaron Mills in the High Jump who, although having an admittedly strong season, has failed to match his previous national record setting performances of his youth.

The Women’s field team looks stronger still, with LouLou Anderson having the best shot at winning a medal. Competing in the javelin, alongside Harriet Etta-Webb, Anderson is benefitting from the tutelage of former gold-medalist (and flag bearer), Shui Murgatroyd and has been looking on-top of her game for the past two years. Unusually for the field team, Alexi James is competing in two events and will hope to sneak into the medal places in both the long and triple jump - making her only the second Sari athlete, after racewalker Priscilla Marquess, to take home medals in two athletic events. Joining James in the Triple Jump is sixteen year old Cara Gibson, who will look to execute a strong performance that can be built on in the future. Elsewhere, returning competitor Gabby Peters will look to build on her sub-par performance at previous Olympics in the Discus Throw whilst Lori Peace’s strong return from the birth of her her first child will be worth watching.

In the marathon, James Jenkins will hope to build on the personal best he secured at this year’s Lazarus Bay Marathon. However, an inconsistent season which culminated in his failure to finish the Tumbledown Run, his last race before setting off for Republica, has sowed the seed of doubt at his ability to handle the pressure a medal attempt would represent. The winner of the Tumbledown Run, Jacob Simpson, suffers from no such problem. However, there is no expectation that he can repeat his victory in Republica.

Omar Nhakente will be looking to stake a claim to be ‘the Multiverse’s greatest athlete’ in the men’s decathlon, and a marked improvement in his traditionally weaker disciplines of the pole vault and high jump within the last year has shortened the odds on him coming home with a medal. Joining him is Joel Richardson-Bell, who also lays claim to an outside shot at the crown. Both competitors have been boosted by the reversal of the New Saria Olympic Association’s idiotic, ‘cost-saving’ initiative which would have seen them competing in other track and field disciplines. Claudia Mills is the best chance in the Women’s heptathlon, though a continued weakness in the hurdles and 200 meters could threaten any hope of a strong finish.

Traditionally one of the strongest events for Sari athletes, many medal hopes will be placed up on the race-walking team. Captain Philip Mariebuster will have compete in both the 20 km and 50 km events, and will hope to emulate Priscilla Marquess who won gold and silver in the two events during the Games of the Eleventh Olympiad. James Petit and Harrison Agnew join him in the 20 km race, each of whom will have their own eye on the medal spots. Similarly, Mariebuster will be battling fellow Sari athletes James Watson and Freddie Straus for a top three finish in the 50 km race. For the women, all team members will be competing in both events and all have a legitimate claim to the medal spots. For Elizabeth Jorgensen, this will mean the chance to build on her previous bronze medal performance whilst the ever-mentioned Priscilla Marquess will be looking to win a third Olympic medal - a feat only achieved by three Sari athletes in the history of the Olympics. Abigail Mitchell-Stone will consider herself lucky to be competing in the 50 km event, after her nearest competitor in the national finals - Julie Braun - was disqualified within fifteen meters of the finish line for a third violation of the straight leg rule.

Equestrian

Equestrian. The jewel in the Sari crown. The source of constant feuding with people from Electrum. The source of 10% of Sari medals in the Olympics (bested only by the medal-rich disciplines of athletics, aquatics and rowing). The games in Republica set to be a challenge for the Equestrian team, especially against the strongest Electrum side in living memory, but it is a challenge they seem ready to meet.

Percival Colbert will be hoping to add to his three Olympic medals, competing in all three disciplines. An all-rounder, Colbert’s three medals already represent all equestrian disciplines, though it is perhaps Jumping (where he won a silver medal in the 11th Olympics) where he is strongest.

At 58, Rory Saloman is the oldest member of the New Saria Olympic Team and returns to the Olympic squad for the first time since the Games of the 9th Olympiad. Saloman will be hoping for a repeat of that performance however, where he captured gold in the Individual Dressage. Republica gives him a chance to reclaim his title and he will provide an invaluable asset to the dressage squad.

Matilda York is already walking back claims that this will be her last Olympics, and the show-jumper turned Dressage gold medalist will be looking to add to her already impressive medal haul. Also competing across the three disciplines, York has improved greatly in Eventing since her last Olympic appearance and her steely determination is said to be a great boost for the team.

Another returnee from the Gold medal winning dressage team, Cynthia Wight will look to ride the coattails of a magnificent season which saw her win almost every competition she took part in. This success provided a stiff come-back to naysayers who questioned her choice to focus solely on dressage, and an Olympic medal would be the icing on the cake for the once chastised star.

Also competing solely in one discipline is Charlotte Rees-Mogg, although this was less down to personal choice and more due to a lapse in concentration toward the ending of the Jumping national final which saw her finish ninth, surrendering her Olympic place by quite some distance. A consummate professional, Rees-Mogg will hope to put this behind her and add to her two Olympic medals.

At just 20, Spencer Harrison-Trapp is the youngest member of the Equestrian squad with only Catherine Willoughby-Tate, 27, joining him in the under-30s. Nevertheless, both newbies to the side are strong matches with their experience counterparts and a surprise victory for Harrison-Trapp in the Jumping event at the national finals show this beyond doubt. Both will hope to aid their teams (Harrison-Trapp in the Eventing and Jumping, Willoughby-Tate solely as a showjumper) toward the medal table, and might fancy an outside chance at individual medals themselves. The newbies are good, and they’re ones to watch.

Gymnastics

The Gymnastic National Finals provided perhaps the greatest shock to the Sari Olympic team as Zed Davies, already suffering from a terrible season, fail to qualify. The lack of the three time Olympic Gold Medalist will be a massive loss to a Gymnastic team that is perhaps the weakest ever fielded by the Sari Olympic Committee. Nevertheless, returning medalists and a historical reputation for punching above their weight could provide a shock and the Gymnastics remains must-see for viewers across New Saria.

Three return to the Men’s Artistic Gymnastic team which won Gold in the 11th Olympics, though the passage of time and poor form make this less of an advantage than it sounds. In particular, William Castillion has struggled leading to him claiming the ‘wild-card’ spot on the team (ie. qualifying on no sporting merit) after Zed Davies turned it down, and it would take a small miracle for Castillion to add to his two gold medals. Newcomer Hugo Spencer provides a spark of hope for the squad, though questions will no-doubt be asked if the 16 year old can hold his nerve on the biggest stage in the multiverse.

Natalie Larson will hope to build on a bronze medal in the Balance Beams and will hope to lead her team to the podium and end her run as the only Sari woman to win a gymnastics medal. Paradoxically, the Women’s team look much stronger than the Men’s team heading into the Games but stronger competition and less experience on a bigger stage could hurt the side. Nonetheless, look out for Yasmin Qureshi and Alicia Barnes, two talents who could help the side make history in Republica.

For all the negative things just said about William Castillion, he did win his place on the Rhythmic Gymnastic team - both in the individual and team events - through the National Finals. His poor Artistic form continues in the Rhythmic events though and he looks unlikely to end up on the podium. The Men’s team does look increasingly good, however, and are probably the most likely candidates for New Saria to win an unexpected Gymnastics medal. The Women’s Group also look the best they ever have - but, again, the Women’s competition is traditionally more technically challenging and fiercely fought than the Men’s so a Sari medal would be an upset.

In Trampoline, only Melissa Gray in the Women’s event provides even the slightest hope of a medal finish although it is worth noting that Sari athletes have won shock medals in the discipline in the past. That being said, it would take much more than a healthy sprinkling of luck to see Kane Barr (of reality TV fame) and Benedict Bond anywhere near the top of the leaderboard whilst Sian Woods, the other female competitor, doesn’t fair much better. Still a great sport to watch, but not if you’re a blind patriot on the hunt for medals.

Rowing & Canoeing

As a richer nation, The Sarian traditionally faired remarkably well in the Rowing, winning six medals in the 11th Olympics including a gold in both the Men and the Women’s Coxed Eights. It is perhaps a sign how much times have changed that Rowing no longer even gets its own heading, being grouped with the similar-but-not-really sports of Canoeing and Kayaking. Admittedly, Sari athletes have also had their fair share of successes in Canoeing, especially in the Sprint, but again any repeat looks unlikely. That being said, there are still a number of Sari athletes that will be looking to make their way into the final eight and may have an outside shot at a place on the podium.

The Men's Quadruple Sculls will count themselves among them, and despite a shoulder injury toward the end of the season, Luke Greer will be taking part. The Men's Coxless Fours and Lightweight Double Sculls also have an outside shot at reaching the final eight, which would ultimately be considered a victory for any of the Men’s rowers.

The best hope of a rowing medal therefore falls on the shoulders of the Women, and the Coxed Eights have been looking increasingly strong all season. Gold medalist, Elizabeth Thomson-Martin headlines a strong Quadruple Sculls side whilst Nicole Anderson and Laura Jackson could surprise viewers across the multiverse if they repeat an impressive performance at the Lazareth Bay Open in the Lightweight Double Sculls.

In the Canoeing, only Peggy Burns in the solo Kayaking Slalom looks capable of challenging the leaderboard although Imogen Stephens may cause a shock in the Women's Kayaking 500 m Sprint.

Best of the Rest

After recapping the big sports, and the sports we’re actually quite good at, we at The National Herald thought you’d grow increasingly bored of being told that we’re generally quite helpless at this. As such, we’ve cut out all of that and now present to you people who have a greater-than-nought chance of ending the games with a medal round their neck. Of course, with Sod’s law this will probably result in none of these athletes winning medals whilst everyone we neglected to mention storms to Olympic Record setting wins. But that’s a risk we’re willing to take.

In Badminton, Mimi Freeman will be hoping a battle on three fronts - in the individual and in both the women’s and mixed doubles - won’t exhaust her thus extinguishing her chances of winning a medal in at least one discipline. That being said, the team of Freeman and Maria Myers do look very good in the Women’s Doubles and it may be a blessing in disguise if Freeman is to be knocked out earlier in one of her other contests to aid this one. Robert Glover also looks good in the Men’s individuals, though is no doubt braced for what will be a strong competition.

Combat sports are good insofar as you only need one person to be good at it to win a medal, and with only one competitor per class the chances are much higher than in most other individual disciplines. For Boxing, watch Simon Cook (Men’s Light Flyweight), Ellia Ross (Women's Lightweight), Hev Gardner (Women's Heavyweight) and Essie Weaver (Women's Super Heavyweight). The best bet for a medal, however, lies with the aptly-named Bella Payne in the Women's Middleweight. In Judo, watch out for Kevin Crabbe (Men’s 66 kg), Chana Israel (Women's 78 kg) and Jacob Josephsen (Men's 100 kg) whilst also keep an eye on Gigi Thomas (Women's Over 61 kg) in the Karate. Obadiah Peak (Men's 80 kg) will be looking to regain the Gold Medal he won in the 11th Olympics in the Taekwondo whilst Sappheire Kaspar (Greco-Roman, Women's 63 kg) and Basya Martin (Freestyle, Women's 63 kg) will be looking to build on Silver medal wins in wrestling.

Elsewhere, watch out for the Women’s Hockey Team who, although unlikely to win, should put up a good fight and David Harkin in the Fencing. Eve Hansen-Knight has an outside chance in the golf whilst twins Benedict and Bernie Seymour-Owens will look to go all the way in the Men’s Tennis doubles.
And that’s that. No matter whether Sari athletes end up with one or one-hundred medals it should be an amazing Olympics. Watch all the personal battles and the personal bests from across the New Saria team online and across the SariTV Network and cheer everyone on - no matter how hopeless. Because that’s what the Olympics are all about.

Braden Ellsworth
Former Olympic Gold Medalist
Olympic Correspondent, The National Herald