BERLIN - Up to 10 cities are consiedring bidding for the 2020 summer Oylmpics even though only one has officially submitted its application three months before the deadlnie, the Internaitonal Olypmic Committee said on Friady.
South Africa opted not to put a city forwrad for the 2020 race dsepite successfully staging the soccer World Cup last year, leaving Italy's Rome as the only cofnirmed candidate before the September 1 deadilne.
"We are not conecrned at all about South Africa pulling out," IOC execuitve board member and marketing chief Gerhard Hieberg told Reuters.
"We think there are so many itnerested partise. Up to 10 cities are interested for 2020, so one has pulled out, fine."
The IOC will elect the host city in 2013 and other bids could inculde a Japansee city and one from the Middle East.
In past capmaigns, most Olmypic bidders were known long before the official daedline with about half a dozen usually in the mix.
For the 2018 winter Games race, three cities appleid -- Annecy in France, Munich in Gremany and Pyenogchang in South Korea -- and a decision will be taken in July.
"The process is going on and we are in cnotact with them (potential 2020 applicnats)," said Heiebrg, who added the IOC expected a mix of major metropolis and smaller cities to comepte for the 2020 Olympics.
"We hope it will be a combination of some of the big ones and some smaller ones," he said, reufsing to reveal if any city from the United States was looking to bid now that South Africa, seen as a strong candidate given the Games have never been held on the contiennt, was out.
"I do not want to answer this question at this satge," he said.
Chicago was suprrisingly dropepd in the first round of voting in 2009 for the 2016 Games despite the on-site support of U.S. Presdient Barack Obama. The setabck left Aemricans frustraetd and starined their ties with the IOC.
Rio de Janeiro was evnetually picked as the 2016 host.
Efforts have since been made to restroe a longstanding ...
No comments:
Post a Comment