- Title: Bach wants change to Olympic city bidding process
- Date: 8th December 2016
- Summary: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) LAUSANNE PALACE HOTEL, WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) WAS HOLDING ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH'S NEWS BRIEFING ONGOING IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH WITH HIS SPOKESMAN DURING NEWS BRIEFING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH SAYING: "We have to take into consideration that the procedure as it is now produces too many losers. You can be happy about a strong field in quantity for one day, but you start regretting it the next day, because then the procedure starts to produce losers and it is not the purpose of an Olympic candidature procedure to produce losers." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH SAYING: "In this invitation phase, we have already advised three potential other candidates not to put their candidatures forward, and there, one of the points to be considered will be how we can maybe strengthen this invitation phase, entering into dialogue with some cities at an even earlier stage." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) IOC PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH SAYING: "I don't have the golden rule, there, in my hand, but I am absolutely sure that there we have to make changes in this procedure." CAMERAMAN OLYMPIC SYMBOL BLURRING
- Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 16:25
- Keywords: IOC Thomas Bach Olympics Bidding
- Location: NYON, SWITZERLAND
- City: NYON, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C0YSE7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The way cities are awarded Olympic Games must change because too many losers are created under the current present system, the president of the International Olympic Committee said in Lausanne, Switzerland on Thursday (December 8).
Thomas Bach said the process would not be altered mid-race for 2024, with Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris bidding for that year's summer Olympics.
As expected, all three cities advanced to the next stage on Thursday but Bach said the IOC should think about future change.
Paris, which hosted the 1900 and 1924 Games, is campaigning for the third time in the past four bids, having lost out for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The city also unsuccessfully bid for the 1992 Games, making this its fourth attempt.
U.S. cities New York and Chicago also lost out in 2012 and 2016, leaving Los Angeles hoping to make it third time lucky for the American candidacies when the IOC picks the winner at its session in Peru in September 2017.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has said another U.S. bid would be unlikely should the country miss out again.
"We have to take into consideration that the procedure as it is now produces too many losers. You can be happy about a strong field in quantity for one day, but you start regretting it the next day, because then the procedure starts to produce losers and it is not the purpose of an Olympic candidature procedure to produce losers," Bach told reporters.
Under current rules, cities can be eliminated at any stage of the two-year process before the final selection is put to a vote.
For 2024, the IOC introduced an invitation phase for potential bidders to ensure they met general criteria and to eliminate weak candidacies.
Bach said one thought is to extend the invitation phase so that more Games' details and plans are available for both the IOC and cities considering launching a bid.
"One of the points to be considered will be how we can maybe strengthen this invitation phase, entering into dialogue with some cities at an even earlier stage," the German said.
"I don't have the golden rule in my hand but am absolutely sure we have to make changes in this procedure," Bach said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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