Madrid made the fourth and final Olympic bid presentation of the day to IOC members in Copenhagen. Following is a summary.
Spanish IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. took the podium first and introduced the bid delagation.
Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz Gallardin took the stage next.
The Mayor said that this is the second consecutive bid for Madrid. He said that in sport there is never failure, you can never give up. He said he and his team will stay to support the Madrid Olympics for the next seven years.
A video portraying Madrid as multicultural showed people of different nationalities and different cultures living in Madrid.
Mercedes Coghen, CEO of Madrid 2016 spoke next. She spoke about her Olympic experience in Field Hockey.
“We believe in our games with the human touch.”
“Thanks to our location and time zone we offer a global Games.”
A video showed a visualization of the venue plan as described by Coghen and others. The empasis was on the bid’s planned legacy, environmental plans and the compact, efficient transportation plans.
Esperanza Agguirre, President of the Regional Government of Madrid spoke about her governments committment to the Games and emphasized Olympic values and her goal to change the life of citizens of Madrid.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of the Spanish Government was next on stage. He spoke of infrastructure that is already built and ready.
“Our candidacy is reliable. It is reliable because it is united politically.”
“We have listened to everything the IOC has suggested.”
“I commit to a project which will allow the spreading of athletics for all young people.”
A video was shown of people “relaying” an envelope from Madrid, across Europe and finally to the Bella Center in Copenhagen resolved into an actual handoff of a letter to the IOC signed by the people of Madrid. It contained a message hope and dreams for the 2016 Olympics.
Alejandro Blanco, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee was next on the podium and he spoke of a games designed by and for the athletes.
BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter
Today’s the day Chicago learns whether it takes home Olympic gold … or sits as an also-ran in the race to host the 2016 Summer Games.
Uniforms pressed? Check. Oprah in town? Check. President Obama? Check.
It will all come to a head at 11:57 a.m., Chicago time, when the city that has won the right to host the 2016 Olympics will be announced in a dramatic ceremony.
Mayor Daley’s Olympic bid team — and competitors from Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo — spent the day before the final vote furiously lobbying the International Olympic Committee members on the eve of their vote for the 2016 Games.
The star power remained high — even before President Obama got on a plane Thursday night en route to Copenhagen.
Want a picture with Oprah? She was holding court in a restaurant. Interested in talking to a Dream Teamer or a Perfect 10? David Robinson and Nadia Comaneci roamed the halls of their Copenhagen hotel. How about a meeting with the first lady? She was listening.
Michelle Obama has been on a marathon campaign to lobby as many of the 100-plus members of the IOC as possible. Thursday, she took a break from her hotel suite meetings with IOC members to attend the opening ceremony at Copenhagen’s dazzling opera house. Wearing a sleeveless, apricot-colored dress, she greeted a steady stream of members and other VIPs.
She also took time to have lunch with the queen of Denmark.
Since her arrival Wednesday, Mrs. Obama has been meeting with the IOC voters — perhaps dozens — in a suite at the Marriott, the official IOC hotel, where she can sit and talk.
On October 2, 2009 the IOC membership at the 121st Session in Copenhagen will vote for the Host City of the 2016 Olympic Games.
Copenhagen was chosen as host city for this vote on February 8, 2006. They won a 59-40 IOC vote against Cairo.
On August 30, 2006 Tokyo won their national nomination to bid for the Games over Fukuoka.
On September 1, 2006 Rio was nominated to bid by the Brazilian Olympic Committee.
On April 14, 2007 Chicago won a domestic bid over Los Angeles to become the official United States applicant for the Games.
On May 30, 2007 the Spanish Olympic Committee confirmed that Madrid would bid.
On August 31, 2007 Prague, Czech Republic announced their intent to bid for the Games.
On September 13, 2007 – seven bids finalized applications including Baku, Azerbaijan and Doha Qatar.
On January 14, 2008 bid committees submitted questionnaire responses to be used for initial assessments of the bids.
During the applicant stage all bids were strong, however Prague had extremely low public support and there were fears that the bid might withdraw from the race.
On June 5, 2008 in Athens the IOC created a shortlist based on an initial evaluation that excluded Baku, Prague and Doha. While Doha scored lower than Rio – Doha was not included in the list of candidates because they planned to stage the Games outside of the IOC’s desired window due to the hot climate.
On March 26, 2009 at SportAccord in Denver all four bids presented to a large group of IOC members and sports leaders.
The Evaluation Commission led by Chairwoman Nawal El Moutawakel visited the four cities in April and May, 2009 for four days each. The Commission toured proposed venues and reviewed the bid books with the bid committees in great detail.
On June 18, 2009 the four cities made special presentations to a large group of IOC members in Lausanne.
On September 2, 2009 the final evaluation report was released. The report did not rank the cities but the language seems to favour the Rio de Janeiro and Chicago bids.
On October 2, 2009 in Copenhagen the four cities will present to IOC members for the last time just before a final vote for the 2016 Olympic Games host.
Chicago 2016 Delegation
Bryan Clay from the U.S., the reigning Olympic champion for the decathlon speaks during a news conference held by the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid team
Former U.S. Olympic gymnast Bart Conner, flanked by his wife former Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci, third left, speaks during a news conference held by the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid team in Copenhagen
Former NBA basketball player Dikembe Mutombo speaks during a news conference held by the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid team in Copenhagen
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama is accompanied by senior White House advise Valerie Jarrett as they meet with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge at a hotel
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama meets with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge at a hotel in Copenhagen
Rio 2016 supporters cycle from the Bella Center to Copenhagen city center
Madrid 2016 logo on the 'Torre Picasso' building in Madrid
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clasps hands with Rio de Janeiro 2016 bid team members after a press conference in Copenhagen
Former Olympic triple jumper Willie Banks clenches a fist after he and his bid team finished a bycicle ride in downtown Copenhagen
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, left, and his wife, Miyuki, wave at well-wishers as they leave Haneda International Airport in Tokyo
Photos Courtesy of AP/USA Today and the Chicago Tribune
By STEPHEN WILSON (AP)
Friday’s vote by the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen to select the host city for the 2016 Summer Games is too close to call.
Any of the four candidate cities — Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo — could win. Then again, any city could go out in the first round of the secret ballot.
For each city, here are three reasons they could win and three reasons they could lose:
CHICAGO
Why Win:
1. The Obama factor: First lady Michelle Obama works her charm in lobbying individual IOC members, then President Barack Obama flies in for Friday’s final presentation. The Obamas explain their deep roots with the Windy City and how their Chicago home sits just a few blocks from the planned venue for the 2016 opening ceremonies. Just swinging two or three votes could make the difference.
2. Lake Michigan: The city’s venue plans are laid out along Chicago’s picturesque downtown waterfront, with venues only a short distance from the athletes’ village.
3. Low risk: The Summer Olympics haven’t been held in the United States since 1996, and the IOC knows the games would be in safe hands if they returned to America. The IOC also would have a secure source of TV and marketing income.
Why Lose:
1. Rio’s romance: Chicago lacks the emotional, geographical and sentimental pull of Rio de Janeiro, which has impressed IOC members with its pitch for taking the Olympics to South America for the first time.
2. USOC baggage: Some members of the European-dominated IOC remain bitter over long-standing disputes with the U.S. Olympic Committee over its extra share of TV and marketing revenues. The USOC also ruffled IOC feathers recently by announcing the launch of its own TV network. The project has since been put on hold. U.S. influence inside the IOC has sharply diminished, with no American member even on the executive board.
3. Lesser known: Many IOC members have never been to Chicago and are more familiar with the three other cities. Since the Salt Lake City bid scandal, members are barred from visiting candidate cities, so many will vote based only on what they have read and heard about Chicago.
By GRAHAM DUNBAR (AP)
COPENHAGEN — Senior IOC members suggest the proven winning tactic of bringing top politicians to lobby for Olympic bids could be reaching an end.
The comments by Dick Pound and Jim Easton — who share 46 years’ experience on the International Olympic Committee — came as Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived in Copenhagen to press Rio de Janeiro’s case for being awarded the 2016 games.
President Barack Obama flies in Friday to spend just a few hours in Denmark and be part of Chicago’s final presentation before IOC members vote later in the day.
Pound and Easton both wondered if Friday’s vote could be the last time heads of state play a decisive role in person.
“I think it will play well for a while,” Easton, a U.S. delegate to the IOC since 1994, told The Associated Press. “I don’t know how many (host city) votes it will play well with before it becomes expected. Then you need a superstar like Tony Blair to move audiences.”
Pound said Obama’s visit would enhance the campaign but was perhaps “going over the top a bit” given his busy schedule.
“You’ve got the leader of the free world flying halfway round the world to show up to make sure everybody understands he is supporting his country,” Pound said. “Is that a good use of his time?”
All four bids will be represented. Spain’s King Juan Carlos will join Madrid’s team, and new Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama joins Tokyo’s push Thursday.
All are following the example of Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister, and former Russia president Vladimir Putin. Their persuasive powers at previous IOC voting sessions helped land the 2012 games for London and get Sochi the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The Rio 2016 Olympics bid team has formally complained to the International Olympic Committee after the city was criticised by an official from the rival Madrid bid.
Spanish Olympic Committee vice president Jose Maria Odriozola reportedly called Rio “the worst bid” of the four candidates.
Spanish news agency Efe quoted Odriozola as saying Rio had security issues, and its status as a favourite was based on marketing and sentimentality.
In a statement, Rio bid organisers said the comments were “totally unacceptable”.
They said Rio was lodging a formal complaint to the IOC Ethics Commission.
The IOC reminded Madrid, Rio, Chicago and Tokyo on Tuesday not to criticise each other ahead of Friday’s vote.
COPENHAGEN, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) — Heads of government or state from the countries of candidate cities have begun arriving in Copenhagen to lobby for the bid of their cities for hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva arrived late Wednesday in the Danish capital to drum up support for Rio De Janeiro’s bid.
Silva, known as Lula, will meet with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members on Thursday ahead of the vote the next day.
He had appealed on Sunday to delegates from Latin American and African countries “to vote for Rio”, hoping to bring the first Olympic Games to South America.
“The world’s biggest sporting event cannot always be held in rich countries,” he said.
Among the Brazilian delegation was well-known football player Pele, who had already been in Copenhagen.
U.S. President Barack Obama will arrive here on Friday and join First Lady Michelle in Chicago’s final presentation to the IOC.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re not taking anything for granted, so I’m going to go talk to some voters,” Michelle Obama told the press upon her arrival on Wednesday in the Marriott Hotel.
She said that she would tell the IOC members that Chicago “is a wonderful host city (with) great people, great facilities.”
“It knows about sports and its hospitality is like no other,” she added.
The IOC’s 121st Session will select the host city of the 2016 summer Olympic Games among Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro and Chicago are seen as the favorites in a tight race as the Brazilian delegation hopes to bring the first Olympic games to Latin America and Obama’s presence throws heavy weight behind Chicago’e bid for hosting the largest sports event.
Obama, to be the first U. S. president to appeal in person to the IOC for an Olympics event, had previously wanted to stay at home to push forward his health care reform.
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Tokyo 2016
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Chicago 2016 Delegation at the airport
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Rio 2016
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