SportAccord Presentation Slot for 2024 Olympic Bids

(ATR) The IOC insists fresh plans to allow the 2024 candidate cities to pitch the annual gathering of summer Olympic federations will not increase bidding costs.

The ASOIF general assembly in Aarhus, Denmark, was not on the list of scheduled presentations for the bids from Budapest, Los Angeles or Paris, although each was set to send a delegation in an observer capacity. The April 4 meeting takes place on the sidelines of the SportAccord Convention.

Under the 2024 bidding rules, the IOC had permitted the bids only to present to the ANOC general assembly in Doha last month, the full IOC membership at the candidate cities briefing next summer and the Session in Lima next September which will choose the Olympic host city.

Now the three bids have been told they can present to the 2017 ASOIF assembly. The Olympic audience comprises the presidents and general secretaries of the 28 summer IFs and the five new sports for the Tokyo Games. Among them are a handful of IOC members.

The IOC decided to add the ASOIF assembly to the roster of presentation opportunities for the bids following "recent discussions" with the cities and an appeal by the summer Olympics body.

"ASOIF has expressed to the IOC that it would welcome a short introduction to the 2024 Olympic Games projects prior to the candidate city briefing for IOC members and summer Olympic international federations which will take place in Lausanne next July," an IOC spokeswoman tells Around the Rings.

The IOC’s decision to grant the bids another speaking platform immediately raises questions about the increased costs of bidding, which Thomas Bach has attempted to cut back on under Agenda 2020 reform plans.

Rather than being a low-key conference for the 2024 bids en route to Lima, the bids will now look to seize the opportunity by bringing some of their more high-profile names to the SportAccord Convention in an effort to make a big noise.

The IOC defended the move to add another presentation slot for the 2024 bid race.

"There will be no additional cost for the cities as they are already attending the convention – 10 delegates – and will not send any extra people to address the ASOIF GA," the IOC spokeswoman said.

"No additional accreditations will be issued for this.

"We are not talking about a full presentation but rather a short – 10 minutes – introduction to their project. This introduction will be by powerpoint only – no video," she added.

Feb. 3 is next milestone for the bids, the deadline for submission of their final bid books, covering delivery of the games, experience and venue legacy.

The IOC’s 2024 evaluation commission led by Frank Fredericks will visit the three bid cities in April and May.

The candidate cities briefing is slated to take place in Lausanne July 11-12, with the IOC vote coming at the Session in Peru, Sept. 13-17.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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