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.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story