German Olympic Bid Embraces Flexibility

(ATR) The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) should clarify its commitment to a future German Olympic bid by the end of 2023 at the latest.

This is what Armin Laschet, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the cities bidding for the Olympic Games on the Rhine and Ruhr are requesting. A statement from the North Rhine-Westphalia State Chancellery said on Tuesday that it should then be clear whether the DOSB would like to act as a responsible body in the bidding process.

Laschet and representatives of the 16 bidding cities for an Olympics on the Rhine and Ruhr want to keep up the regional bid to host a sustainable Games. In February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Brisbane as a preferred partner for talks and it appears the Australian bid is on track to be named the 2032 host as soon as the next IOC Session in July.

The German bid team is ready for any scenario.

"In the event that the IOC's negotiations with Brisbane are not successful, the bid for 2032 will be maintained and this will additionally be extended to the following Games of the decade,"the state government and local authorities said in a press release, adding that the Rhein Ruhr City private initiative will remain "capable of acting at any time".

Since the prospect is poor that the IOC will still invite other interested parties to the selection process for 2032, a German bid for the Summer Games would only be possible for 2036 or later.

Whether Germany should host the Olympics 100 years after the 1936 Nazi Games in Berlin is a controversial subject in German politics and sports.

Homepage photo of Duesseldorf: Wikipedia

Written by Piet Kreuzer

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