ATR First - New Invitation Phase for Olympic Bids 'More Efficient'

(ATR) International Olympic Committee members tell Around the Rings the IOC’s new bidding procedure will keep more money in the banks of Olympic bid cities.

Beginning this month, the IOC will hold a year-long invitation phase for cities interested in hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics. As IOC members in countries interested in bidding for these Games, Denis Oswald and Tricia Smith believe the new process will benefit all stakeholders.

"Well it’s a time to facilitate the work of the bidding committees, and it makes sure they avoid spending too much money with so-called experts and consultants," Swiss IOC member Oswald tells ATR during the World Rowing Congress in Sarasota, Florida.

"They spend a lot of money to people who are not always qualified. There are very qualified people within the IOC, especially the staff in the sport or Olympic Games department. Working together, we can probably help them make a lot of savings."

Canadian Olympic Committee President Tricia Smith agreed.

"I think the new invitation phase makes a lot of sense for bidders to have that opportunity to really explore all of the possibilities to make sure we’re as effective and efficient as possible when hosting the Olympic Games," the World Rowing vice president and IOC member tells ATR.

"Hosting the Olympic Games is a very complicated endeavor which requires many resources so we want to make sure we spend those resources in the best way possible for the benefit of sport."

She adds that Calgary is still weighing its options for a 2026 bid but must await the outcome of a mayoral election before proceeding with a bid.

"We’re participating in the invitation phase as you know," she says. "We have an election coming up in Calgary so we’ll see what happens in that election and I think after that then we’ll refocus and see where we are."

Innsbruck, Erzurum, Turkey, Milan, Italy, Sapporo, Sion and Stockholm have expressed interest in hosting the 2026 Winter Games, as well as a slew of cities in the United States that have recently expressed interest to the U.S. Olympic Committee, including Salt Lake City, Denver and Reno-Tahoe.

The IOC’s invitation will end in October 2018 with the host city election set to take place at the 2019 IOC Session in Milan, Italy.

Reported by Kevin Nutley in Sarasota, Florida.

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