Bidding for the Games -- Secret 2018 Panel; Sarkozy for Annecy; Lillehammer YOG

2018 Secret Panel Meeting

An IOC working group will spend the weekend assessing the risks of the three cities bidding for the 2018 Olympics.

The secret panel will review the applicant files submitted in March by Annecy, Munich and PyeongChang.

The membership of the panel is secret, sworn to confidentiality when they accepted the IOC assignment. Around the Rings understands the panel includes a representative from a North American NOC, a winter sports federation president and another dozen or so members. IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli leads the panel.

The IOC Executive Board will review a report from the panel in June. The report will be used to determine if any of the three cities should be cut from the race.

PyeongChang is bidding for a third consecutive time. Munich and Annecy are bidding for the Winter Games for the first time.

The IOC vote takes place in July 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

Nicolas Sarkozy Supports Annecy 2018

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is supporting the Annecy bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Sarkozy expressed his support Thursday while visiting the Savoy area on the 150th anniversary of the area becoming French territory.

"The government will do everything possible, you can be sure, so that Annecy, applicant for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will be chosen," Sarkozy said.

"Annecy’s victory will be the victory of the entire nation, standing behind you."

Norway Eyeing YOG Bid

The Norwegian Olympic Committee is considering a bid for the second Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2016 in Lillehammer, site of 1994 Winter Olympics.

The NOC formally submitted the paperwork for the bid to the IOC earlier this week. Bid leaders will participate IOC workshop in Lausanne on May 11.

Nov. 15 is the deadline to submit a candidature file to the IOC.

"Lillehammer has said yes to talk to the IOC about the possibility of organizing the YOG in2016," said IOC member Gerhard Heiberg, who led the Lillehammer 1994 organizing committee.

"The Norwegian Olympic Committee will explore the possibilities and we hope we shall be able to finalize an application in good time before mid-November, hoping that we can organize the Games in 2016," he added.

The IOC will announce the winner in May 2011.

Lillehammer is the only city bidding for the 2016 YOG after Sofia, Bulgaria, retracted its bid.

The first Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place in Innsbruck, Austria, in January of 2012.

Brazil Bidding for Aquatics World Championships

Brazil announced it is bidding for the aquatics world championships in 2015. The event would be used as a test event for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

This is the third time Brazil has launched a bid for the world championships.

Rio 2016 President Carlos Nuzman said the organizing committee fully backs the championship bid.

The FINA Bureau, the ruling body of the aquatics federation, will make a host decision at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.

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With reporting from Sam Steinberg.