OLYMPICS-SOUTH KOREA/IOC MEETING IOC Coordination Commission meets over 2018 winter Olympics in South Korea

Record ID: 332385

  • Title: OLYMPICS-SOUTH KOREA/IOC MEETING IOC Coordination Commission meets over 2018 winter Olympics in South Korea
  • Date: 18th March 2015
  • Summary: GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA (MARCH 18, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) MEMBERS AND PYEONGCHANG ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE 2018 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES (POCOG) MEMBERS AT MEETING VARIOUS OF IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION CHAIR GUNILLA LINDBERG SPEAKING PRESIDENT OF POCOG CHO YANG-HO LISTENING MEETING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION CHAIR GUNILLA LINDBERG SAYING: "Our venue tour yesterday showed us significant advances that have been made since last year and the quality of the work appears to be of the highest standard." LINDBERG SPEAKING WHILE IOC MEMBERS LISTEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION CHAIR GUNILLA LINDBERG SAYING: "With your first test event less then one year away, POCOG and its partners are entering a new phase in their Olympic journey. To manage this phase successfully the focus must now be simultaneously on multiple reactives, such as preparing your team to deliver international standard events, getting the venues ready to host test events." POCOG MEMBERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRESIDENT OF PYEONGCHANG ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE 2018 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES (POCOG) CHO YANG-HO SAYING: "We know it is important to work closely with IOC to find solutions to challenges as many emerge. I had consultative discussions during the recent IOC executive vote meetings in Rio. POCOG is grateful for the feedback and hopes to discuss future challenges in a open and transparent manner." IOC MEMBERS AT MEETING LINDBERG AT MEETING CHO AND POCOG MEMBERS AT MEETING MORE OF MEETING IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 2nd April 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8HL91OB9RKUHXCEWNKJO8JTXQ
  • Story Text: International Olympic Committee (IOC) members on Wednesday (March 18) held a 4th meeting of the IOC Coordination Commission, after checking venues for 2018 winter Olympics in South Korea.
    The IOC members led by coordination commission chair Gunilla Lindberg attended a plenary session, which was expected to be an opportunity for the full commission to discuss progress with the Pyeongchang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), the IOC said.
    Ahead of the meeting, IOC members on Tuesday (March 17) checked the Ice Arena for figure skating and short track speed skating, which is located in Gangneung, about 420 km. (150 miles) east of Seoul.
    During the visit, the Commission members looked at a number of different areas including the mountain cluster and the coastal cluster to check preparations, according to the IOC.
    "Our venue tour yesterday showed us significant advances that have been made since last year and the quality of the work appears to be of the highest standard," Lindberg said during the meeting.
    "With your first test event less then one year away, POCOG and its partners are entering a new phase in their Olympic journey. To manage this phase successfully they focus must now be simultaneously on multiple reactives, such as preparing your team to deliver international standard events, getting the venues ready to host test events," she added.
    According to POCOG, an organizing committee for test events of 2018 winter Olympics was launched this month and will open test events in February, 2016.
    "We know it is important to work closely with IOC to find solutions to challenges as many emerge. I had consultative discussions during the recent IOC executive vote meetings in Rio. POCOG is grateful for the feedback and hopes to discuss future challenges in a open and transparent manner," said POCOG President Cho Yang-ho.
    The IOC has voted to allow host cities to move events to other towns or countries, breaking with the tradition of keeping the Games in one location and fuelling speculation that Pyeongchang could take advantage of the change.
    However, earlier this month, POCOG President Cho Yang-ho said only a natural disaster could force Pyeongchang to consider sharing Winter Olympics events, moving to quell speculation that some sports could be switched to other cities.
    Pyeongchang's preparations for Asia's first Winter Games outside Japan have been beset by budget issues, with Gangwon Province where the town is located at odds with the government over how much of the cost it should bear.
    The total cost of the Games is estimated at more than 11 trillion won ($9.75 billion), with the Alpensia Sliding Centre alone costing more than 120 billion won.
    The Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will be held from February 5 to 25, 2018.
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