lympics/2018/ BACKGROUND: The three candidates for the 2018 Winter Olympics

Jul 5, 2011, 0:06 GMT

Durban, South Africa - Profiles of the three cities bidding for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games: Pyeongchang, Munich and Annecy. The host city will be elected on Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee.

PYEONGCHANG: Population: 45,000.

Previous bids: 2010, 2014.

Olympics in South Korea: Summer Games 1988 in Seoul.

Olympic budget: 1.53 billion dollars. Concept: described as very compact by IOC, two venue zones with two villages. Pros: Five venues already finished, two need only improvement. Two new venues will be built irrespective of success. Three further venues are to be built if Pyeongchang wins. Creation of a winter sports legacy in South Korea and Asia with a huge percentage of the country supporting the bid. Many of the venues have already been built during the two previous (unsuccessful bids). A lot of sponsor support. Cons: Tensions with North Korea, no classic winter sport nation and an environmental problem because of a part of a forest that is to be cut down.

MUNICH: Population: 1.4 million.

Previous bids: -. Olympics in Germany: Summer Games 1936 in Berlin, 1974 in Munich, Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936.

Olympic budget: 1.52 billion dollars. Concept: compact concept that mainly uses existing venues. Sports to take place in three different places. Pros: Much experience in organizing major sporting events and can make use of some of the infrastructure from 1972. Environmentally sound and a huge sponsor pool. Cons: A low rate of acceptance amongst the local population, however this has decreased over the last six months.

ANNECY: Population: 150,000.

Previous bids: -. Olympics in France: Summer Games 1924 in Paris; Winter Games in 1924 Chamonix (declared as the first Winter Games after their completion), in 1968 in Grenoble and 1992 in Albertville.

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