Five world-class cities in strong competition for Olympic Games 2024

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is delighted to announce a very strong field of candidates for the Olympic Games 2024. Five cities – Budapest (HUN), Hamburg (GER), Los Angeles (USA), Paris (FRA), and Rome (ITA)* – will compete to host the Olympic Games 2024 after submitting their applications to the IOC by last night’s midnight deadline.

In line with Olympic Agenda 2020, the Host City Contract 2024 was published today. The IOC will contribute USD 1.7 billion in cash and services to the organising committee for the Olympic Games 2024.

“We are welcoming five outstanding and highly qualified Candidate Cities,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “Olympic Agenda 2020 has shaped the Candidature Process more as an invitation and the cities have responded by engaging with the IOC through dialogue and cooperation. In the new invitation process the IOC learnt that all the candidates are embracing Olympic Agenda 2020 from their respective vision for the future of their city. Sustainability and legacy are the cornerstones of each candidature.”

In keeping with its commitment to good governance, transparency and ethics, following Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC today published all the documents related to the Candidature: Candidature Process Olympic Games 2024, Candidature Questionnaire Olympic Games 2024, Host City Contract Principles, and Host City Contract Operational Requirements. This is the first time that the full package of documentation has been made public at the very outset of the process.

With their candidatures, the five cities commit themselves to respect the Olympic Charter and the Host City Contract for all participants of the Games and all Games-related matters. In this context, the IOC made changes to the Host City Contract, including:

- Reference to sexual orientation in the non-discrimination clause as part of the Host City Contract Principles with overarching significance for the entire Olympic Games’ project. The IOC is clear that sport is a human right and should be available to all regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation as stated in the Olympic Charter

- The freedom of media to report on the Olympic Games is now integrated in the Host City Contract Principles

- An amendment on labour law compliance that states: “The City, the NOC and the OCOG shall take all necessary measures to ensure that development projects and other projects necessary for the organisation of the Games comply with local, regional and national legislation and international agreements and protocols, applicable in the Host Country with regard to planning, construction, protection of the environment, health and safety, labour and anti-corruption laws.”

In light of Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC has distilled down over 7,000 pages of Technical Manuals into fewer than 350 pages of contractually binding Host City Contract Operational Requirements. For the organisation of the Games, the IOC is providing the future organising committee an extensive transfer of knowledge including the Olympic Games Guides.

With their applications, the cities have to follow the strict Rules of Conduct for Candidate Cities, which regulate all forms of communication between the Candidate Cities, IOC Members and other Olympic Movement stakeholders, including visits. Rules are also in place to resolve any potential conflict of interest in a transparent way. In line with Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC earlier launched a Consultants Register for the Candidature Process Olympic Games 2024. All consultants for a candidature have to agree to the Rules of Conduct and the IOC Code of Ethics.

Olympic Agenda 2020 also offers the Candidate Cities the opportunity to reduce costs related to the Candidature Process. For instance, the number of presentations to be made by the cities has been reduced from nine to three. In addition, the IOC is now covering the travel costs and accommodation of a number of delegates to the presentations made to the IOC, as well as costs related to the visit of the IOC Evaluation Commission.

Interest in hosting the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad 2024 has been bolstered by the new Invitation Phase and other reform initiatives included in Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement. These measures allow for greater creativity, more transparency, lower costs and simplified procedures.

Through this Invitation Phase, the IOC helps cities deliver Games that will best align with their unique long-term social, environmental and economic vision. The potential candidates were invited to discuss their initial plans with the IOC. Key to these discussions were the opportunities and legacies of a candidature and of organising Olympic Games. All Candidate Cities have been strongly encouraged to focus on legacy and sustainability by placing greater emphasis on the use of existing venues or temporary and demountable venues where no long-term need exists or can be justified.

The IOC will continue to work in close collaboration with each Candidate City to provide them with the best possible services and assistance in the lead-up to the election, by the full IOC Membership, of the Host City by the 130th IOC Session in Lima, Peru in 2017.

*Cities listed in alphabetical order. The IOC Executive Board will carry out an official drawing of lots in December 2015. The order of drawing of lots will then be used until the election of the Host City.

For more information, contact:

IOC Media Relations Team

Tel: +41 21 621 6000

email: pressoffice@olympic.org

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only