The SportAccord Convention in London last week offered one of the last chances for the three bidding cities for the 2018 Olympic Games Munich, Annecy and PyeongChang to present to the international sporting community. A presentation to the IOC members is scheduled in mid-May in Lausanne before convening in Durban for the election.
While Munich highlighted the financial strength of the German bid, Annecy underlined its Alpine traditions and PyeongChang stressed a significant Olympic investment program in its presentation. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will vote on the winning bid on 6th July in Durban, South Africa.
Munich’s presentation focused on Germany’s record as a leader in sponsorship of winter sports noting that German companies fund 50% of the revenues of the seven winter Olympic sports federations. Katarina Witt, who chairs the Munich bid, said: “We are not just promising full stadia; we guarantee full stadia.”
Annecy bid CEO Charles Beigbeder promised “authentic Games in the heart of the mountains” that would reunite the “rich heritage of the Alps with the Olympic Movement”. The revised, more compact bid’s motto is “Snow, Ice, and You.”
PyeongChang underlined its ‘New Horizons’ message. “This is a historic choice and a historic chance for the Olympic movement,” said bid leader Cho Yang-ho. “We want to give 650 million young people in new markets the opportunity and the access to enjoy winter sport.” South Korean government plans to invest $500 million in a ‘Drive the Dream’ fund to develop Korean winter sports athletes through to 2018.