Surprise Move by IOC to Punish Syria by Naming Damascus as site of 2020 Olympics

Satirical News Service
Geneva, Switzerland

In a move that took everyone by surprise the International Olympic Planning Committee bypassed Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul – the leading contenders for the 2020 Olympics- and instead appointed Damascus to host it. The IOC head stated “We hope this sends a message to Assad that when you gas your own people you are going to pay a stiff price.” Now Damascus will have to spend millions of dollars that it could have spent on weapons to host the International games. It will have to use its troops that could be fighting rebels to keep close watch on the thousands of athletes including ones from Israel. It will also have to spend time and money on building stadiums and other venues which could bankrupt the country.The IOC hopes that this will send a strong message to Assad  and other leaders not to use weapons of mass destruction on his own people, or face the consequences.