GUATEMALA: OLYMPIC GAMES: Cities bidding to host the 2014 Winter Olympics on final charm offensive with IOC members

Record ID: 329689

  • Title: GUATEMALA: OLYMPIC GAMES: Cities bidding to host the 2014 Winter Olympics on final charm offensive with IOC members
  • Date: 7th July 2007
  • Summary: (S1) GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (JULY 3, 2007) (REUTERS): EXTERIOR GUATEMALA NATIONAL PALACE WITH FLAG
  • Embargoed: 22nd July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Guatemala
  • Country: Guatemala
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3NMU8ZPQKJAJ3X95AJSO6UY1L
  • Story Text: The situation heated up in Guatemala on Tuesday (July 3) as the count down to see who wins the 2014 Winter Olympics began.
    With no clear favourite after two years of solid campaigning, South Korea's Pyeongchang, Russia's Sochi and Austria's Salzburg hope their work will finally pay off when the 97 eligible International Olympic Committee members vote during their session on July 4.
    Guatemalan President Oscar Berger welcomed IOC President Jacques Rogge at the National Palace in Guatemala City on Tuesday. They then visited peace monument erected to remember Guatemala's war dead.
    Rogge also received a recognition award from Berger honouring his work with the International Olympic Committee.
    "This distinction honours the Olympic movement and to its fundamental principles that Guatemala has considered as its own," said Rogge.
    Nobel Prize Winner and presidential candidate, Rigoberta Menchu, was also present at the event.
    "We vote so that the 2014 Winter Games are given to the country that deserves to win," Menchu said.
    Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, who has been in the Guatemalan capital for several days on a charm offensive meeting with IOC members and international media, said that Austria should win, because it offered the best security.
    "But if you want to be completely safe you should go to the number one country for personal security and private property, that is Austria," said Gusenbauer.
    Salzburg Governor, Heinz Schaden, who flew to Guatemala in order to support the Austrian Delegation said the decision had to lie in deciding the best future for the Winter Games.
    "Decision is tomorrow, it's not about a city: Salzburg, Pyeongchang, Sochi, it's a decision about future success of the Winter Games," he said.
    The Deputy Prime Minister Of Russia, Alexander Zhukov, said that no political interference should slant the decision taken by of the International Olympic Committee.
    "Of course, we are convinced that the voting will be absolutely fair and not slanted. I think that there cannot be political excuses or any political influence," Zhukov said.
    At the July 4 session in Guatemala City, the IOC will name the winner in a three-way race between the Russian Black Sea resort town of Sochi, the Austrian city of Salzburg and South Korea's Pyeongchang.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register