(ATR) The IOC cuts Guadalajara and Rotterdam from the field of 2018 Youth Olympic candidates, leaving three cities in the race.
An IOC source confirmed the news to Around the Rings.
Buenos Aires, Glasgow and Medellin advance to the next stage of the YOG 2018 bidding contest.
The Mexican city exits the race having struggled with financial problems since staging the 2011 Pan American Games.
Guadalajara was also stripped of several events including the International Equestrian Federation’s hosting rights for the 2015 World Cup Jumping and Dressage Finals.
Rotterdam delivered its bid book to the IOC last October without the necessary financial guarantees. The Dutch government signed off on the guarantees in January but question marks appear to remain about the bid's finances.
The three shortlisted candidates will now face further assessment about the specifics of their bid books. Video conferences between the bid cities and IOC are scheduled in April.
An evaluation report will then be submitted to IOC members who will elect the host city at a meeting in Lausanne on July 4.
IOC president Jacques Rogge will explain the reasons for droppingGuadalajara and Rotterdam at his closing press conference later on Wednesday.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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