Blatter believes IOC following FIFA

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jul 7, 2011, 8:31 GMT

Durban, South Africa - FIFA has shown the way on embracing new markets, its president Joseph Blatter said after Pyeongchang was chosen as hosts of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Blatter, who is a member of the International Olympic Committee, told German Press Agency dpa the margin of the vote - 63 to Munich's 25 and Annecy's seven - meant there could be no discussion about the South Korean venue.

'We have gone into new territories and the IOC has followed us,' Blatter said.

In a highly controversial decision football's ruling body had decided in December to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

The IOC vote in Durban for Pyeongchang can be seen as a similar move into unchartered waters. The Pyeongchang bid itself was run under the slogan of 'new horizons' and time and again this was referred to in its final presentation to the IOC members.

'We are very glad that they understood our message and felt that the time was right,' bid chairman Yang Ho Cho said.

Speaking for the Munich bid, which was widely considered as Pyeongchang's only real challenger, IOC vice-president Thomas Bach had said IOC members had to choose between strengthening their traditional winter sports foundations or opting for new markets.

'Another factor that helped Pyeongchang was the sympathy vote, which they strongly brought out in their final presentation,' the German said.

IOC president Jacques Rogge, who abstained from voting, agreed with Bach.

'I think bidding for a third time has played a role. We are grateful to people who persevere and are patient and each time the bid has improved,' he said.

'The third time was a very, very good bid. It was exactly the same situation we had with Rio, the last 10 years they've bid three times and the third bid was the winning one,' the Belgian said.

Rogge said that he did not believe the decision to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang weakened any potential bid for the 2020 Olympics from an Asian country.

'As far as the Asian bid for 2020 goes, I don't think this plays any role because we are dealing with two different issues, winter sports and summer sports. So the situation is completely different and this will in no way be an obstacle for a bid for 2020 coming from Asia.'

Japanese IOC member Shunichiro Okana, who will step down from the organization next year when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 80, said Tokyo could bid for the 2020 Games if the municipal assembly of Tokyo agrees.

'There are people that say that two Games in two years in Asia would be a problem, but I do not think so,' he said.

Asked by dpa, whether he was in favour of Tokyo hosting the Games again, the former international footballer said: 'Yes. Tokyo's governor is a very good friend of mine. A long, long time ago I played football with him. I played for Tokyo University and he played for Tokyo Commercial University. I won 7-1, so, he respects me.

But long before the world's attention turns to 2020, Pyeongchang will have an opportunity to host the Winter Games in 2018 and it is a challenge they look forward to.

South Korean President Myung-Bak Lee, who addressed the IOC members in Durban, expressed his gratitude to Rogge and IOC members.

'It is a wonderful moment for the Korean people, for Asia and we hope for the Olympic movement,' he said.

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