Olympics 2016 bid race on the home stretch as Obama arrival looms

Copenhagen - Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stole Barack Obama's famous slogan as the favourites for the 2016 Olympics host city vote engaged in the some final lobbying on Thursday. Rio de Janeiro and Chicago continued to appear superior over Madrid and Tokyo with 24 hours left until the secret ballot by the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen. Barack Obama was due to fly in Friday morning to take part in Chicago's pitch before the IOC Session, and is due to be almost back in Washington by the time IOC boss Jacques Rogge announces the winner at around 1630 GMT. But the Chicago-born First Lady Michelle Obama is already in town, met with Rogge on Thursday morning and was set to plead Chicago's case before IOC members ahead of what is expected to be a tight vote. Obama's charisma is well known but Lula also carries a lot of popularity in and outside Brazil. 'We want to ... show the world that yes we can, we can do it,' Lula told a news conference Thursday, in reference to Obama's famous 'Yes we can' statement. With all four bids fairly close as far as the technical aspects are concerned, other tiebreakers are required. The Obama factor weighs heavy and Games in Chicago, just like in Madrid and Tokyo, would be low-risk for the IOC. But there is also the temptation for the Olympians to give South America its first ever Games after several previous attempts failed. 'Obama's visit will surely make an impression,' said IOC vice-president Thomas Bach of Germany, who was recently phoned by the US president. 'I can't make any predictions. All four have a chance. South America is the only white spot on the Olympic map apart from Africa.' Due to the nature of the vote, a 50 per cent plus one vote is required to win, second or even third preferences are important. As long as no overall majority is reached in the first two rounds the city with the least votes is eliminated and some IOC members will have to pick a different bidder. The majority will be 49 votes in the first round. The IOC has 106 members, but seven of them are not allowed to cast their ballot because they are from the countries of the bidding cities. Rogge does not vote as IOC boss and South Korean Kun Hee Lee is suspended. An important contingent are the 19 African Olympians who have no city from their continent to support. Obama's African-American descent has been mentioned in this respect and NBA basketballer Dikembe Mutomba, part of Chicago's bid team, was also asked about the issue. 'We are all brothers,' he said, pointing out that the US 'represents people with different backgrounds and origin.' The Chicago camp tried to play down the Obama factor, with former wrestling world champion Bill Scherr saying on Thursday: 'The bid stands by its own merits. (But) he adds a lot to it.' Each city has 45 minutes for a presentation on Friday, with Chicago out first ahead of Tokyo, Rio and Madrid. Another 15 minutes are designated for questions in each pitch. Obama will leave not long after Chicago's presentation, but the security operation is massive. Police officers at the Bella Center venue said that traffic and public transport will come to a standstill when the president arrives and later returns to the airport. Local authorities were also leaving nothing to chance ahead of Thursday's formal opening of the 121st IOC Session in the opera house, in the presence of Danish queen Margarethe, Spain's royal couple of king Juan Carlos and queen Sofia, Lula, Michelle Obama and possibly new Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama. The 2016 vote kick-starts eight days of Olympic meetings. United Nations general secretary Ban Ki-Moon is scheduled to open a three-day Olympic Congress on Saturday which looks at the future of the Olympic Movement. The IOC Session then reconvenes October 7-9, with Rogge standing for re-election while rugby sevens and golf hope for Olympic inclusion in 2016.