(ATR) North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet puts politicians and the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) under pressure.
By the time the Olympic Games are held in Tokyo in 2020, the head of the state government wants it to be clear whether Germany is behind a 2032 bid by the Rhine-Ruhr region.
According to Laschet, the federal government, which must provide financial guarantees, and the DOSB as the responsible body for a bid should make a decision by then.
Meanwhile Laschet is pushing ahead with the plans for 2032. With new modesty and a renunciation of gigantism, he wants to bring the Olympics to Germany for the first time since Munich 1972.
"We can live the sustainability that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formulated as a goal for the future in its Agenda 2020," said Laschet. "This also includes to free oneself from gigantism and pomp."
Laschet, a member of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, believes the Olympics are also a signal against racism and anti-Semitism.
"Olympic and Paralympic Games are a great opportunity for all people and countries of the world, which we must not leave to those who want to ignore the universal idea of these games and replace it with profiling and profit maximization."
About 90 percent of the sports venues needed for the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games are available. "Our sports venues are already visited by hundreds of thousands every week today. This would also be guaranteed after the 2032 Games. Unlike some sporting events in the past, there will be no empty stadiums in North Rhine-Westphalia."
The head of government announced responsible financing. The initiative "Rhine Ruhr City 2032" wants to present more exact data about it in six to eight months.
The concept includes 14 municipalities and six major cities. The decision on a bidding procedure is made by the DOSB. Laschet does not expect any competition within Germany. In addition, according to Laschet, since he has the support of the Bavarian state government he does not expect Munich to apply again for the Winter Games.
The Australian government is backing a Brisbane-led Queensland bid for 2032 while Indonesia and India have also expressed interest to the IOC. North and South Korea have also announced a joint bid.
Düsseldorf and the Rhine-Ruhr region previously applied to host the 2012 Games, but lost out to Leipzig in the national decision. The Games eventually went to London.
Homepage photo: Wikimedia Commons
Written by Heinz Peter Kreuzer
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