Munich Tackles Security; Annecy Keeps Busy; PyeongChang Rides Through Europe

Munich Turns Focus to Security

The third and final installment of Munich 2018’s so-called "Living Bid Book" guarantees a safe and secure Winter Olympics.

"This ground-breaking video-documentary series is revolutionizing the process in which the bid is delivered to the public," bid chair Katarina Witt said in a statement.

"Germany is a world-leader in staging mega-events in a festive but secure environment and we are confident that we can deliver a safe Games in the true spirit of Bavarian friendship and hospitality."

According to the video, Munich would focus on engagement over enforcement and install a single chain-of-command system with the Coordination Department of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior at the helm.

Authorities would also employ state-of-the-art technology, including a finger-scanning accreditation system recently put to the test at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The first two installments of the "Living Bid Book" dealt with Paralympics and carbon dioxide compensation.

To view the entire third installment, click here.

Busy Week for Annecy Brass

Annecy 2018 leadership will take part in a pair of knowledge exchanges over the next two days as the race for 2018 enters its final two months.

Bid president Charles Beigbeder is one of three roundtable participants discussing the economy of sport at a Thursday conference in Paris.

Among the questions to be addressed at Sport Assizes are how to meet the challenge of financing sport in the future, whether market requirements harm the spirit of sport and if sports patronage is the future of sponsorship?

"Managing a bid means not only taking into account the core Olympic values but also taking a modern economic, financial and marketing approach," Beigbeder said in a statement.

"Sharing our experience and talking to renowned experts in all these domains as well as being able to present our bid to them helps us to progress."

A day later, Annecy 2018 vice president Jean-Pierre Vidal will join Beigbeder at the Paris offices of Havas Sports & Entertainment for a debate themed "The Final Sprint" and organized by the ESG Management School.

PyeongChangEnlists European Cyclists

A Korean-German couple from Frankfurt is cycling around Europe in promotion of PyeongChang.

Mun Suk Kim and her husband Eric Wehrheim will ride 6,000km over the next three-and-a-half months and will sport flags and stickers from the South Korean bid city until the 2018 host decision.

"I want to wish Kim and Eric the very best of luck on their cycle tour of Europe," PyeongChang 2018 chair Yang Ho Cho said in a statement.

"This amazing public support from people in so many nations provides great encouragement as our campaign heads to the 2018 Host City decision in July."

The IOC will decide July 6 in Durban, South Africa whether Annecy, Munich or PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

2018 to IIHF Worlds

The 2011 men’s ice hockey world championships are underway in Slovakia and all three bid cities are expected to send representatives.

Sam added that if the government decides to back a bid, SASCOC will wait until after the Durban IOC Session to pick a candidate city

Durban, long the front-runner, must still beat out the other South African cities that want to bid, including Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

The Session is scheduled to take place July 6-9.

NOCs have until Sept. 1 to put forward candidate cities for 2020. Rome is the only city to formally announce a bid so far, but Japan, France, Spain and the Middle East may also join the fray depending largely on the outcome of the race for 2018.

Written by Matthew Grayson.