South African Sports Leaders Say Second Chance Possible for Cape Bid

(ATR) Cape Town could have a second chance to prepare a bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Tubby Reddy, chief executive of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, tells Around the Ringshe has submitted the idea to the SASCOC Board, who must determine if they will accept the bid.

"Basically the city of Cape Town contended that SASCOC did not invite them to bid in the first place, which we proved was incorrect and produced all the documentation that was sent to them," he said.

"The request now to be considered has come way after the deadline, I’m talking about our deadline, and it came on the 16th of September.

"What I’ve done is I’ve circulated that to the board of SASCOC giving them the full picture of the invitation and when this came in. Considering the fact that SASCOC has already tabled the one city that responded, and that was Durban, and asking the SASCOC Board if they wish to consider where they want to consider this from Cape Town."

Reddy said a decision will come on Monday.

Sam Ramsamy, IOC member from South Africa, said whatever happens, there must be harmony in the South African Olympic movement.

"It’s important for the South African bid to come together without acrimony," he said.

"The issue is we want to go forward with a united bid that is supported by all of South Africa."

Ramsamy made the comments at the FINA World Aquatics Convention in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

According to Reddy, the SASCOC board might be amenable to the proposal.

"From my own perspective I don’t think they will be unsympathetic to the appeal.

"If the board look at giving them a chance we’ll obviously have to engage with the mayor of Durban, considering that we’ve already gone public indicating that Durban was the one applicant. And we also don’t believe that the mayor of Durban will necessarily be unhappy if the board decides to accept both cities.

"Then we’ll have to decide a contest within the country in order to finalize the city that we put forward."

Reddy said there is no timetable for how that decision would be reached.

"At this point in time we didn’t really reflect upon that because we only had one bid city."

While SASCOC will submit a bid city, the national government must sign off on a bid.

The government will provide the primary guarantees needed for an Olympics in South Africa, so it needs to weigh-in once a nominee is confirmed by SASCOC.

A feasibility study will be carried out by the government before approving a bid.

No timetable is set for that, as the government is apparently waiting for SASCOC to settle its bid process.

"Government support is vital for the South African bid," Ramsamy said.

SASCOC selected Durban as its bid city in early September.

The IOC will formally open bidding following the 2011 Session, which Durban is hosting.

A host city for the Games will be selected at the 2013 IOC Session.

Rome is the only other city officially bidding for the Games at this point, but several other cities are expected to launch bids, including Istanbul, Budapest and possibly bidders from India, Dubai, Japan and Spain.

Written by Ed Hula III.