Jun 17, 2009, 10:14 GMT
Lausanne, Switzerland - The four cities hoping to stage the 2016 Olympic Games were given the opportunity Wednesday of presenting their bids to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its headquarters in Lausanne on Wednesday.
Leaders from Madrid, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Chicago are in Lausanne trying to impress IOC members before they vote in October on the host city for the Games.
Almost all members of the IOC were on hand to listen to the bid cities' presentations which were being made behind closed doors.
IOC president Jacques Rogge, speaking on the eve of the presentations, said the commercial strength of the candidates should not be the key issue for selecting the host city.
'Frequently in the past we did not necessarily go for the richest city and I believe we were right to do that,' he said.
'Ultimately it is not the economics but leaving a sustainable legacy. When we leave, we want it to be a bonus for the city, the region and the country.'
The briefings follow an Olympic reform in which IOC members are prohibited from visiting bidding cities. The changes were made in the wake of the Salt Lake City bribes-for-votes scandal.
The report of the IOC evaluation committee, which recently visited the four bidders, will also be a key element in the decision-making process. The report is expected to be published in early September.
The bid cities - with Chicago the first to make its pitch - were given 45 minutes to make their case, followed by a 45-minute question and answer session.
The cities, which have been asked to focus on technical details of their bids, will also have the opportunity to lobby on Thursday.
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