Online Reporter
JUST days after Kirsty Coventry took up the presidency, the International Olympic Committee announced it was pausing the election process for future Olympic Games following a workshop with IOC members.
“Members want to be engaged more in the process. And secondly, there was a very big discussion in and around when the next host should be awarded,” Coventry explained in a Press conference last Friday and furthered that a working group will be formed to study the host selection process.
The day-and-a-half of consultation, Pause and Reflect, aimed to shape a new roadmap for the Olympic Movement.
Among the topics discussed were costs, revenue generation, protecting women’s sport and the timing of awarding a host city.
Some hosts were given over a decade to prepare, such as in the case of Los Angeles and Brisbane; other hosts will have half the time to prepare for the Games.
The French Alps were only awarded the 2030 Games last July, giving them less than six years until the opening ceremony.
While France still has its momentum from hosting last summer’s Games in Paris, it still has to scramble to get things on track and has enlisted the help of the Senate to accelerate preparations.
A shorter lead time may work for countries that have hosted the Olympics several times, but it may be a major hurdle for countries that do not have the necessary framework to host the Games yet.
India, which is vying for the 2036 edition, is hoping that hosting the Olympics will be an opportunity to “turbo-charge” investment in its infrastructure, which, according to the Business Standards, only 10,4 percent meets Olympic standards.
Longer lead times may not be all that effective either.
Four years into its planning, Brisbane’s organisers have only just finalised their venue plan and have also had to introduce a bill into parliament to fast-track construction.
With hosts now having to jump through more hoops than the Olympics logo has, powered by major reforms through the Agenda 2020 and its extension 2020+5, the IOC is looking at how to better support its hosts and maintain engagement in the years leading up to the event.
Coventry also explained that members want more transparency.
“If you’re not sitting on the Future Host Commission, you’re obviously not getting as much information and it’s such an important part of what we do and members get asked a lot in their own home countries — What’s happening? Where is it going? — that they want to better educate themselves.”
Hosts have been confirmed for the next decade of Summer and Winter Games, with several interested cities in talks for the following editions.
Coventry assured that while the IOC reviews the current process and studies the lessons learned from the recent hosts, interested parties will not be left out of the conversation.
“All the interested parties are going to be a part of this consultation. They wanted to be included in the process a little bit more and to be able to better understand the process. How do we include the members so that they can also be educated on those steps taken? When do we award the Games? What does that look like? Let’s have a reflection. Let’s have a review of the process to really analyse when is the best time to award the Games.”
As the IOC pauses to review its internal process, it stressed that bidding cities should continue the work its doing to vie for the Games.
Coventry acknowledged the Indian delegation’s visit next week and said they may be the first bidders to be consulted on some of the key aspects of the conversation.
The IOC also confirmed that the “privileged dialogue” with Switzerland will continue, with Executive Director Christophe Dubi reiterating the timeframe the bureaucratic country has to produce the necessary information to bid for the 2038 Games.
While the IOC’s agreement with the Swiss Federal Council means it will have less to contend with on the Winter Games front, it will certainly have its hands full in the crowded race to host the 2036 Summer Games.
Along with India, Indonesia, Turkey and Chile have confirmed their bids, with potential offers from Germany, Hungary, South Africa, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. — insidethegames.com/Sports Reporter
derick.khumalo