Bidding for the Games -- 100 Days to 2018 Decision; Annecy Protests; Kenya Bidding

Olympic Objectors Gather in Annecy

Anti-Olympic protestors in Annecy will seek to make their concerns more widely known at a press conference in the French Alpine city Tuesday.

The CAO,(Annecy Anti-Olympic Committee, says it wants to tell people about what "not only the excesses of the Olympics, the sport business, the financial stakes of multinationals and unacceptable demands of the IOC, but also on adverse impacts on the environment and on uncontrolled public spending with long-term debt for the Olympic city".

The group says it has collected 13,140 names for its petition opposing plans to bring the Winter Olympics to Annecy.

In a press release issued Monday, the opposition group cited information reported exclusively by Around the Rings that an IOC poll shows only 51 percent of the local population supports the Annecy candidacy.

Annecy 2018 on Monday marked the 100 days to go mark until the IOC vote in Durban by urging public support for the bid through its 500+ athlete backers.

Bid chief Charles Beigbeder underlined the importance of athletes in the development of the bid plans.

"We are delighted to have been able to unite the entire French sporting movement, including athletes of all disciplines, behind Annecy 2018," he said. "Their collective support and commitment in helping galvanize public support and promoting the bid around the world is vital as we enter the final straight in this campaign."

Munich Brings "Bavarian Winter Wonderland" to Oceania

Munich says its presentation to the Oceania National Olympic Committees in sunny New Caledonia transported delegates from the sandy beaches.

The three leaders of the bid; co-chairs Thomas Bach and Katarina Witt as well as bid CEO Bernhard Schwank made the trek.

"Munich 2018 will offer opportunities to athletes, coaches and federations from every sport and every nation through various training activities within the ‘Olympic Winter Friendship Program’ Witt said.

"What’s more, it will seek for the first time to bring together athletes from winter and summer sports in the framework of Germany’s long-time development program".

Bach highlighted Germany’s ties to ONOC.

"It is a special pleasure for us to be here at ONOC because Germany has a very unique historic connection to this continental association. It was at the Baden-Baden Olympic Congress in Germany in 1981 that Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and New Guinea actually founded ONOC."

PyeongChang Celebrates 100 Days

A ceremony at Seoul Olympic Park’s World Peace Gate Plaza marked PyeongChang’s celebration of 100 days to the vote on a 2018 host city.

PyeongChang 2018 Chairman and CEO, Yang Ho Cho; Korean sport minister Byoung Gug Choung; Korean Olympic Committee President, Yong Sung Park; Bid Ambassador Jin Sun Kim; and other representatives were joined at the event by hundreds of bid supporters.

During the ceremony, the bid signed a new "Best of Korea" agreement, which will showcase all facets Korean culture during the 2018 Games.

Chairman Cho said: "With only a 100 days left until the IOC’s Host City announcement in Durban, we are delighted and moved by the wonderful support we have received at this celebration event. Today is an important moment to show PyeongChang’s passion for hosting the Winter Games."

Kenya Bid for 2020

Kenya’s prime minister says the country’s Olympic success make it a choice candidate for the 2020 Olympics.

Raila Odinga made the comments Sunday as a team from Brazilian football club Palmeiras began their tour of Kenya.

According to a report in Kenyan newspaper The Standard, he said: "No country in Africa has won more Olympic medals than Kenya so we have all the rights to host the Games and we are asking Brazil to support us."

Brazilian Ambassador to Kenya Anne Marie Sampaio was present for the announcement and the paper said "she promised to urge her Government to support Kenya’s quest".

Should Kenya make a bid, it would certainly be a long-shot bid and would likely be overshadowed by a possible South African bid for the 2020 Games. The IOC will open applications to bid for 2020 later in May.

Written by Ed Hula III.