Bidding for the Games -- Hiroshima 2020; Annecy 2018; Indian Olympic Hopes

Hiroshima Reconsiders Bid Budget

The Hiroshima city council has reportedly passed a motion to restore a budget for a 2020 Olympic bid.

The move follows a rejection of the budget by the city council last week.

Officials from the Japanese Olympic Committee announced they would travel to Hiroshima on Friday to meet with the mayor and determine the feasibility of a bid from Hiroshima.

Club 2018 for Annecy

Annecy 2018 is launching its program for small and medium size business to support the bid.

More than 1,000 CEOs will gather in Annecy on Thursday to launch "Club 2018". The ceremony will include bid leaders and government officials as well as numerous Olympic medalists.

The program encourages small and medium size businesses to support the bid. Club 2018 is open to all companies in and outside of France.

Annecy is bidding for the 2018 Winter Games against Munich and PyeongChang, South Korea. IOC members will select a host city in 2011.

Companies signing up with Club 2018 will not be listed as a sponsor, but they will receive ad space on the bid Web site and receive other benefits.

Annecy 2018 announced Club 2018 a day after the Munich bid revealed its "Friends of the Bid" program. Munich’s Friends of the Bid encourages small and medium enterprises to sponsor the Munich bid.

Delhi Commonwealth Games Lead to Olympic Bid

Despite delays and other issues, the head of the Indian Olympic Association still believes the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi this year will pave the way to a bid for the Olympics.

Suresh Kalmadi, head of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games organizing committee and the president of the IOA, says "the Commonwealth Games are very important for us. We are trying to promote Olympic sports. We are moving towards Olympics, there is no doubt about it."

The Commonwealth Games, set for Oct. 3-14,will be the largest sporting event ever held in India.

Australia Bidding for 2018 Commonwealth Games

The Australian town of Gold Coast will bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Australia Commonwealth Games Association president Sam Coffa made the announcement Wednesday saying "the bid provides that athletes and sports will be the top priority and as such a Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will be a very attractive option".

Gold Coast, located in the southeastern corner of Queensland with a population of 500,000, would be the smallest city to host the event in 20 years.

Abuja, Nigeria is the other city bidding for the CWG. Australia has hosted four Commonwealth Games, Sydney 1938, Perth 1962, Brisbane 1982, and Melbourne 2006.

A host for the 2018 CWG is set to be announced in November, 2011.

Written by Ed Hula IIIandSam Steinerg.