(ATR) IOC president Jacques Rogge remained tight-lipped on the battle for the 2018 Winter Olympics in his first briefing to media after arriving in Durban today.
"The IOC is delighted to come for a second time in this really beautiful city," Rogge told reporters shortly after stepping off a plane from Johannesburg and a day after attending Prince Albert's wedding celebrations in Monaco at the weekend.
"We are going to have a very important meeting, but first we have the 2018 vote," he said, declining to elaborate on how close the race was between Annecy, Munich and PyeongChang.
No questions were allowed at the press conference held at Durban's King Shaka airport that was designed as a curtain-raiser for the 123rd IOC Session.
Rogge said that updates on preparations for upcoming Games -- the Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympics, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 -- were important agenda items.
He also said amendments would be made to the IOC'scharter based on recommendations that emerged from the IOC Congress in Copenhagen in 2009.
Also speaking at the press conference were IOC member from South Africa Sam Ramsamy, sports minister Fikile Mbalula and KwaZulu-Natal premier Zweli Mkhize. South African Olympic Committee president Gideon Sam and CEO Tubby Reddy were also in attendance.
Noting South Africa's successful bidding for the 2010 World Cup, Mbalula urged the three 2018candidates to "keep your eye on the ball" in the final hours of campaigning.
Mbalula spoke of South Africa's disappointment in losing the 2006 World Cup to Germany and Cape Town's unsuccessful 2004 Olympic bid.
"But we soldiered on and brought huge sports events into the country. That showed that sport is in our DNA," he said, adding that Johannesburg was hosting the World Anti Doping Agency's fourth World Conference on Doping in Sport in 2013.
Rogge's brief address didn't mention the possibilities of Durban bidding for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
That was left to Mkhize to pitch Durban as potential bidding candidate.
"The World Cup for us was an extension of our celebration of democracy," he said.
"We also hope it is possible to host the Olympic Games in this country. We want to discuss further to see if there is still the possibility to host such a Games in this province."
The South African government rejected a 2020 bid earlier in the year, but Mbalula insists a bid could be revived.
The IOC Executive Board meets in Durban today with a press conference scheduled for 9.30pm local time.
The three 2018 bidders hold press conferences in Durban Monday, their final briefings before the IOC vote on the host city Wednesday evening.
Written by Mark Bisson
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