2020 Olympic Bids Ready for International Debut

(ATR) IOC rules have cut months off the time allowed for the bid cities to promote on an international level. For the 2020 race, that period begins next week, nine months before the IOC votes Sept. 7 at the session in Buenos Aires. The shortened international campaign is meant to reduce the cost and complexity of bidding.

"As per having a shorter window for international promotion, we have already made up our minds in doing more in less time," says Alejandro Blanco, president of Madrid 2020 and the Spanish Olympic Committee.

The three bids will all send prominent teams to IOC headquarters in Lausanne for the ceremonial handover of the bid books, due Jan. 7.

"That event will mark the start of a phased, momentum-building international campaign where Istanbul's unique and compelling offer will be presented to the Olympic Movement in a variety of innovative and effective ways," says a statement from Istanbul 2020.

Clearly, the booming Turkish economy will be part of the Istanbul communications strategy. This week the bid committee issued a press release saluting the close of the Istanbul Stock Exchange at a record high.

"Istanbul 2020 is bridging across challenging economic realities and will take full advantage of Turkey’s robust and resilient economy," said bid leader Hasan Arat.

"But this news proves that our spectacularGames vision is founded on an economy that offers delivery security and the capacity to take the Olympic Movement forward in partnership with the IOC."

Tokyo 2020 tells Around the Rings the bid will first publicly release details of its bid at a Jan. 8 press conference in Tokyo.

"Preparations for the Candidature File launch and the IOC Evaluation Commission visit are our priority right now, and we are very excited about telling our vision and master plans for 2020, starting next week," said spokesperson Masa Takaya.

So far, Tokyo is the only one of the three to plan a press event outside the country with a briefing Jan. 10 in London.

Included in Tokyo’s delegation is the new metropolitan governor, Naoki Inose. It will be his first international appearance to promote the bid.

Madrid will host a press event Jan.8 in the Spanish capital where about 300 domestic and international media are expected.

The cities are waiting for word from the IOC as to whether they can make formal presentations at the general assembly for the Pan American Sports Organization in Jamaica Feb. 7-8. Continental meetings where the bids might present are also still ahead for Oceania and Africa.

Written by Ed Hula.