Op Ed: Munich Holds Early Lead in Race for 2018 Olympics

In the early hours of the race for the 2018 Winter Olympics, a first-time bid from Munich appears to be the city to beat. PyeongChang needs to develop its appeal as the first South Korean winter host, while Annecy needs a convincing message, too.

The field of three applicant cities is the smallest for the Winter Olympics since the race for the 1988 Games nearly 30 years ago.

PyeongChang: A 3rd Attempt

With 2018 following the Sochi Winter Olympics, the geographic rotation of Olympic hosts should make Asia next in line for the winter flame. As close as PyeongChang has come to winning twice before, the third time may indeed be the charm. PyeongChang came up four votes short for 2014 and three short for 2010.

The region of South Korea where the Games would take place has grown up in the ten years since plans for the first bid were launched for the 2010 Games. Hotels and resorts called for in past bid books have been built, promised new roads are in place. World championships and world cup competitions have tested the slopes.

But the stumbling blocks for the Koreans are the same ones faced in the failed bid for 2014. First, a lack of knowledge among IOC members about the Korean bid. Few have been to the province northeast of Seoul which is still unknown outside Asia as a winter sports destination. The Koreans will need to skillfully address this information deficit against the limits of IOC rules.

Second, in the realm of IOC politics, the South Korean bid is still hobbled by controversy over a member, this time Kun Hee Lee, who is also chairman of Olympic sponsor Samsung. He is currently suspended from the IOC due to a conviction on corporate corruption charges. The IOC Ethics Commission meets next month and could review Lee's case. It could perhaps recommend that the suspension be lifted - or that it remain in place. Lee is also hoping for amnesty from the president of Korea that could also set him free from IOC sanctions. At the worst, Lee could be recommended for expulsion, although that may be unlikely.

Three years ago when PyeongChang was bidding for 2014, another South Korean IOC member was headed for suspension. Y.S. Park's troubles also stemmed from conviction on corporate charges.

Park, who held his seat on the IOC as president of the International Judo Federation, ended his IOC membership two years ago when he stepped down from IJF. But now he takes that baggage along as president of Korean Olympic Committee. Only time will tell if that is a handicap to the PyeongChang bid.

South Korea has one other IOC member, Dae Sung Moon, elected in 2008 as a member of the Athletes Commission. His presence on the IOC is certain to prevent any other Koreans from being nominated at the Vancouver IOC Session in February. That will be the last chance to add new members who would be eligible to participate in the 2011 vote to decide the 2018 host. Ung Chang, the North Korea IOC member, is believed to support the bid from South Korea.

Annecy Seeks a Message

Annecy will have to prove to the IOC that the timing is right for a return to the French Alps, a la Albertville 1992. After two consecutive losses of a bid from Paris for the Summer Games (2008 and 2012), French bidders need to realize that IOC support for Annecy will require some coaxing.

French IOC member Guy Drut is back as an active member after he was suspended for his conviction on charges related to payments he received to endorse a company while a member of the government. Senior French IOC member Jean-Claude Killy is involved with Sochi 2014 as chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, a post that may keep him from becoming very involved with the Annecy bid.

And while the French NOC has selected Annecy as a bid city for 2018, the longing of France to host the Summer Games may dull the thrust of a campaign for 2018. The real prize for France could be the 2024 Olympics, which would be the centennial of thelast Games inParis.

The Munich Advantage

Munich appears to be the bid that is firing on all cylinders in this early stage of the contest.

For more than a year, work has been carried out behind the scenes to prepare the Munich bid, including the hiring of key staff.

An international consultant for the bid has been hired, Jon Tibbs, and executive director Richard Adams is already a regular at international meetings where IOC members gather.

The bid has the unquestioned backing of the DOSB, the German NOC, headed by influential IOC member Thomas Bach, who is in the final months of his term as a vice president and Executive Board member. Bach is also considered as a possible contender to succeed Jacques Rogge as IOC President in 2013.

Claudia Bokel is the second IOC member in Germany, elected last year for eight years as a member of the Athletes Commission.

So far, Munich is the only one of the three bids with an active communications campaign, an advantage that may be difficult to wrest away for PyeongChang and Annecy. Both must find consistent and effective means of communication in English which Munich is already proving as a master.

A communications strategy is even more crucial for Korea and France with the German bid delivering clear reasons to bring the Games to Munich.

Venues and logistics: Munich is the only bid with an international airport, hotels and arenas to provide the urban comforts now needed for a Winter Olympics. The snow and sliding venues are world-class, but the distance -- about 90 minutes from Munich -- could be a possible weakness for the bid.

Timing: Nearly 80 years since the last Winter Games in Germany, it is the European country with the biggest audience for winter sports.

Emotional Appeal: Munich could be the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics, although the 1972 Olympics represent a dark chapter in the history of the Games. A 2018 Winter Olympics could give Munich a chance to add a more positive chapter to its history as an Olympic City.

Written by Ed Hula

Op Ed is a weekly column of opinion and ideas from Around the Rings. Comments, as well as guest columns are welcomed: comment@aroundtherings.com