(ATR) The Munich bid for the 2018 Olympics narrowly wins the first showdown among the three cities bidding for the Games. But PyeongChang is close, almost equal, while the bid from Annecy has some issues to solve.
Those are the findings of a report prepared for the IOC by a panel of winter sports expert.
The report was used Tuesday by the IOC Executive Board in deciding to allow all three bids for 2018 to move on to the candidate city phase of the race.
Annecy, flagged in the report for a venue plan "that would present major operational and financial challenges" that would "affect the Games experience for all client groups, particularly athletes" will be given the chance to remain in the race to make improvements. Such a second chance for a bid is unprecedented in the recent annals of Olympic bids.
Across the 11 categories reviewed in the report for the IOC, Munich wins slightly over PyeongChang in four categories: general infrastructure, environmental conditions, sports experience and finance.
PyeongChang led the categories of government support, Olympic Villages, and transport concept.
The two cities tied for sports venues, accommodation, safety and security and overall concept.
Annecy scored slightly better than Munich in the category of government support and equaled Munich for a high rating in sports experience. But the overall concept of the Annecy bid drew the lowest marks among the three cities by the IOC panel of experts.
Annecy Ready to Make Changes
Annecy CEO Edgar Grospiron says his team will study the IOC report to make modifications.
The report noted that Annecy’s 10 standalone venues and three Olympic Villages could lead to complications.
"We have to change things about our concept, maybe we have to review the sites because they are too much split, like different ski resorts, we have to concentrate more on one site," Annecy CEO Edgar Grospiron tells Around the Rings.
Grospiron said he remained "confident" as Annecy "has all the potential" - and the facilities - to revamp its initial plans.
"We have to face always, like everywhere, political needs. The message is clear from the IOC, but we still need to check the motivation to make the concept more accurate."
"The message is that the Olympics is not the World Cup and we have to fit into the IOC, the Olympics standards. That is the message we really have to listen to."
"We have a week or two to work on what could be the best proposal," he says.
Munich Enjoys IOC Report
Willy Bogner, CEO of Munich 2018 tells ATR that his group is pleased with a report that casts little doubt on the ability of the German bid.
"We are very happy and relieved that not only we made it, but we made it in a good and positive fashion. It's a good next step."
"The combination of experience, great venues, good locations and a good concept, with the enthusiasm in Germany for winter sports in general, all played a part."
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Gold medal figure skater and Munich 2018 Chair Katarina Witt tells ATR that despite the positive report, the race hasn’t been won.
"We're happy and proud. We have a strong and passionate concept for the Olympics 2018, but it is going to be a long, very hard and competitive year ahead of us, a very challenging year."
"We got good points in all the parts that are important. Germany is a really good and passionate winter sport nation," says Witt.
PyeongChang Delivers on Promises
Yang Ho Cho, the chairman of the PyeongChang 2018 bid tells ATR that the Korean bid benefits from the experience of the past two bids for the Games.
"We have kept our promises to the IOC and we keep making improvements," Cho tells ATR.
Since the 2014 bid, PyeongChang has built venues as well as new accommodation, including the hotel complex that would be used by the Olympic family.
"We will not stop here, we will keep going," he says.
"PyeongChang is the most efficient and compact bid plan," he says. Compactness was a point noted in the IOC report.
The IOC report, as with Munich, found little to fault with the Korean bid.
The most critical comment came in PyeongChang’s estimate of $650 million as a target for domestic sponsorship revenues, which the report deemed as "conservative". Cho, acknowledging the IOC observation, says the revenue target could probably be doubled.
Written by Ed Hula.
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