Showing posts with label '18 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label '18 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
David Owen: Slicker Pyeongchang still look likely winners
About halfway through today's slick – and gobsmackingly brightly-lit – presentation by the Pyeongchang bid team, I found my mind drifting back 10 years.
Something about the extreme formality of the occasion – which contrasted sharply with the relaxed demeanour of the Korean bid's two European rivals - and the assured air of those taking part reminded me of Beijing's performances at the International Olympic Committee Session in Moscow in 2001.
That campaign ended with the Chinese capital comfortably winning the right to stage the 2008 Summer Games in what was a landmark moment for the Olympic Movement.
Will the race for the 2018 Winter Olympics be a similar success story for an Asian candidate?
We shall have to wait and see – but having witnessed presentations on Monday by each of the three candidates, that still appears to me the most likely outcome.
Announcement of the day came from Munich, with confirmation that former German football captain Franz Beckenbauer – almost certainly the world's best-known Bavarian – was on his way to Durban to lobby for the bid.
I shall be genuinely interested to see how this pans out.
Such is the Kaiser's stature that the German team had little option but to ask him: it would have been interpreted as a sign of weakness if he hadn't come, just as French President Nicolas Sarkozy's absence is being seen as a signal that not even the French truly believe Annecy can win.
On the other hand, football is not a sport that features in the Winter Olympics.
Would, say, a Canadian city use ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to help out on a Summer Olympic bid?
I don't know the answer to that question, it is possible that they would, but I think it would be a pretty close judgement call.
If the Germans have summoned another global sporting superstar to supplement the efforts of bid leader Katarina Witt, Annecy's big achievement since arriving in South Africa has been to unearth a compelling message.
In their beach-front marquee, opposite the local casino, a venue housing more white furniture than the average Premiership footballer's living-room, Annecy Mayor Jean-Luc Rigaut built fluently on bid President Charles Beigbeder's plea from the day before to keep the Games "authentic".
"We are not there to get a trophy for a company or a country," Beigbeder (pictured) said, in one of the more aggressive soundbites of noticeably good natured campaign.
As a former white-water canoeing champion, Rigaut's warning that Big Sport was in danger of becoming overcommercialised, of losing its soul, will strike a chord with some of the 100 or so IOC members who will decide the outcome of this contest.
Mieux vaut tard que jamais (Better late than never) is an aphorism as common in French as in English.
And the hard-hitting tactic has certainly set tongues wagging in Durban.
But it is hard to envisage it doing enough to get the French candidate seriously back into the race.
'Relaxed' can be good in the sometimes pompous and overformalised parallel universe of Olympism.
But there is a fine line between appearing relaxed and appearing amateurish and, based on yesterday's events, I have to say the European bids at times came across as amateurish compared with their well-resourced Korean rivals.
It was amateurish of Annecy to confer among themselves at considerable length before answering one of the questions posed by journalists.
And while it may have been intended as a joke, it appeared amateurish to me for Witt (pictured) to ask her media conference mediator, "Am I allowed?" after he invited her to announce that a certain German footballer was on his way to Durban to add his weight to Munich's cause.
A further small symptom: Pyeongchang's table in the main media room is groaning under the weight of brochures and Olympic pins.
Annecy's and Munich's? Empty.
Now it might be that they have been stripped bare by voracious journalists.
But I somehow doubt it.
Who wants this most? I am sure all three bid teams are working – and praying - for victory with identical intensity.
Who appears to want it most? Based on the past couple of days, there can only be one answer to this question.
David Owen worked for 20 years for the Financial Times in the United States, Canada, France and the UK. He ended his FT career as sports editor after the 2006 World Cup and is now freelancing, including covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 World Cup. Owen's Twitter feed can be accessed at www.twitter.com/dodo938
Something about the extreme formality of the occasion – which contrasted sharply with the relaxed demeanour of the Korean bid's two European rivals - and the assured air of those taking part reminded me of Beijing's performances at the International Olympic Committee Session in Moscow in 2001.
That campaign ended with the Chinese capital comfortably winning the right to stage the 2008 Summer Games in what was a landmark moment for the Olympic Movement.
Will the race for the 2018 Winter Olympics be a similar success story for an Asian candidate?
We shall have to wait and see – but having witnessed presentations on Monday by each of the three candidates, that still appears to me the most likely outcome.
Announcement of the day came from Munich, with confirmation that former German football captain Franz Beckenbauer – almost certainly the world's best-known Bavarian – was on his way to Durban to lobby for the bid.
I shall be genuinely interested to see how this pans out.
Such is the Kaiser's stature that the German team had little option but to ask him: it would have been interpreted as a sign of weakness if he hadn't come, just as French President Nicolas Sarkozy's absence is being seen as a signal that not even the French truly believe Annecy can win.
On the other hand, football is not a sport that features in the Winter Olympics.
Would, say, a Canadian city use ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to help out on a Summer Olympic bid?
I don't know the answer to that question, it is possible that they would, but I think it would be a pretty close judgement call.
If the Germans have summoned another global sporting superstar to supplement the efforts of bid leader Katarina Witt, Annecy's big achievement since arriving in South Africa has been to unearth a compelling message.
In their beach-front marquee, opposite the local casino, a venue housing more white furniture than the average Premiership footballer's living-room, Annecy Mayor Jean-Luc Rigaut built fluently on bid President Charles Beigbeder's plea from the day before to keep the Games "authentic".
"We are not there to get a trophy for a company or a country," Beigbeder (pictured) said, in one of the more aggressive soundbites of noticeably good natured campaign.
As a former white-water canoeing champion, Rigaut's warning that Big Sport was in danger of becoming overcommercialised, of losing its soul, will strike a chord with some of the 100 or so IOC members who will decide the outcome of this contest.
Mieux vaut tard que jamais (Better late than never) is an aphorism as common in French as in English.
And the hard-hitting tactic has certainly set tongues wagging in Durban.
But it is hard to envisage it doing enough to get the French candidate seriously back into the race.
'Relaxed' can be good in the sometimes pompous and overformalised parallel universe of Olympism.
But there is a fine line between appearing relaxed and appearing amateurish and, based on yesterday's events, I have to say the European bids at times came across as amateurish compared with their well-resourced Korean rivals.
It was amateurish of Annecy to confer among themselves at considerable length before answering one of the questions posed by journalists.
And while it may have been intended as a joke, it appeared amateurish to me for Witt (pictured) to ask her media conference mediator, "Am I allowed?" after he invited her to announce that a certain German footballer was on his way to Durban to add his weight to Munich's cause.
A further small symptom: Pyeongchang's table in the main media room is groaning under the weight of brochures and Olympic pins.
Annecy's and Munich's? Empty.
Now it might be that they have been stripped bare by voracious journalists.
But I somehow doubt it.
Who wants this most? I am sure all three bid teams are working – and praying - for victory with identical intensity.
Who appears to want it most? Based on the past couple of days, there can only be one answer to this question.
David Owen worked for 20 years for the Financial Times in the United States, Canada, France and the UK. He ended his FT career as sports editor after the 2006 World Cup and is now freelancing, including covering the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 World Cup. Owen's Twitter feed can be accessed at www.twitter.com/dodo938
Friday, July 1, 2011
Pyeongchang leading Munich, Annecy for 2018 Winter Olympic vote July 6
There’s the recharged applicant in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the safe bet in Munich and the underdog in Annecy, France. All legitimate candidates, each vying for the same prize.
The International Olympic Committee will have an awfully tough task on its hands when selecting the host for the 2018 Winter Games through a secret-ballot vote Wednesday in Durban, South Africa, with Pyeongchang a slim favorite on Munich, and Annecy in third.
Each city paid the IOC a $150,000 fee when the bidding process kicked off in 2009, and a voting majority is needed for victory. An IOC report issued last month stated “all three candidate cities could successfully host … with each city offering its own distinct vision and concept.” Neither city was endorsed, as the IOC deemed “each city’s concept offers a viable option to the IOC, though the very nature of each project presents different risks.”
IOC president Jacques Rogge insists the race is too close to call. “I think it’s very close,” Rogge told reporters last month in Switzerland. “Don’t ask me numbers. But it’s going to be a close race, definitely. I don’t expect a big gap between the three cities.”
A look at the candidates:
ANNECY
Olympics in France: Albertville, 1992 winter; Grenoble, 1968 winter; Paris, 1924 summer; Chamonix, 1924 winter; Paris, 1900 summer
Failed Olympic bids: Paris for 2012 summer, second; Paris for 2008 summer, third; Lille for 2004 summer, didn’t make the cut; Paris for 1992 summer, second; Lyon for 1968 summer, third; Lyon for 1920 summer, not selected
Population: 52,890
Bid budget: $42.7 million
Approval rating: 51 percent in Annecy, 62 percent in France
Main attraction: The action would take place in two major clusters in Annecy and nearby Chamonix, with all 13 competition venues within a 20-mile radius and 80 percent of athletes less than 10 minutes from their sites, linked by rail, road and motorway access.
Things to know: Annecy already has 65 percent of its infrastructure in place. … Annecy would have about 240,000 rooms available at 530 hotels. … The international airport in Geneva is 25 minutes from Annecy. … Spending is projected at $5.2 billion, including $3.4 billion on infrastructure and $1.85 billion on organizing costs. … The bid is backed by IOC member Jean-Claude Killy, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in Alpine skiing.
Why it will win: If the IOC is looking for a postcard backdrop, it can’t do better than Annecy, a resort city with a glistening lake, situated in the heart of the French Alps.
Why it will lose: The IOC hasn’t awarded back-to-back Winter Games to the same continent since the 1990s, and unlike Munich, Annecy doesn’t have the name recognition to justify a return to Europe after the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Criticism of bid: Edgar Grospiron resigned as bid leader in December, frustrated by the bid’s lack of funding, and he was replaced by French entrepreneur Charles Beigbeder.
Local opposition: The Annecy Anti-Olympic Committee has a petition with 13,140 signatures of people who don’t want the Winter Games in France, supporting what the group calls “unacceptable demands of the IOC,” as well as “adverse impacts on the environment and on uncontrolled public spending with long-term debt.”
If it loses: The French have declared their intention to bid for the 2020 Summer Games if Annecy loses its 2018 campaign, with Paris as the likely candidate. If France isn’t picked for 2018 or 2020, watch for Toulouse in a bid for the 2022 Winter Games, joining forces with unspecified cities in Andorra and Spain. And if France fails for 2018, 2020 and 2022, expect Paris as a contender for the 2024 Summer Games, as that year would mark the 100th anniversary of the last time the French capital hosted the Olympics.
For this reporter: Flying into Switzerland to cover an Olympics in France? No thanks.
MUNICH
Olympics in Germany: Munich, 1972 summer; Berlin, 1936 summer; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936 winter
Failed Olympic bids: Leipzig for 2012 summer, didn’t make the cut; Berlin for 2000 summer, fourth; Berchtesgaden for 1992 winter, seventh; Garmisch-Partenkirchen for 1960 winter, fourth; Cologne, Frankfurt and Nuremberg for 1936 summer, didn’t make the cut; Berlin for 1908 summer, not selected
Population: 1,330,440
Bid budget: $43 million
Approval rating: 60 percent in Munich, 56 percent in Germany
Main attraction: Fifteen competition venues would be situated over Munich, for ice events; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, for snow events; and Koenigssee, for sliding events, with Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Koenigssee each about 90 minutes from Munich.
Things to know: About $222 million would be spent on venues and accommodation, and about $55.5 million is targeted for environmental projects. … The bid is chaired by two-time Olympic gold medalist figure skater Katarina Witt. … The bid’s most influential voice on the international front is IOC vice president Thomas Bach.
Why it will win: The Winter Games have deep roots in Europe, Germans love winter sports and Munich boasts the financial backing of German sponsors, most notably BMW.
Why it will lose: No city has hosted both the Summer Games and the Winter Games, and the cards are stacked against Munich because of Pyeongchang’s third straight bid.
Criticism of bid: Munich bidding for the Olympics has rekindled memories of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Summer Games, arguably the darkest moment in Olympic history, in which Palestinian militants killed 11 athletes and coaches from Israel.
Local opposition: Nearly 60 Bavarian farmers and landowners initially refused to release their land in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to make way for the enlargement of skiing venues. The bid also has come under fire from the Green party and several ecological associations because of the environmental effects of artificial snow, the use of temporary sites and road construction projects that are sure to result in a long-term increase in traffic.
If it loses: If Munich goes down, Germany is likely to recast the city as a 2022 candidate.
For this reporter: A big city provides lots of attractions – and restaurants. Sign me up.
PYEONGCHANG
Olympics in South Korea: Seoul, 1988 summer
Failed Olympic bids: Pyeongchang for 2014 winter, second; Pyeongchang for 2010 winter, second
Population: 46,531
Bid budget: $31.5 million
Approval rating: 92 percent in Pyeongchang, 87 percent in South Korea
Main attraction: Thirteen competition sites would be split between the coastline and the mountains, all linked by rail and roads to keep travel time under 30 minutes in what’s billed as a low-risk bid that offers the most compact venue plan in Winter Games history.
Things to know: South Korea spent $1.4 billion in constructing an Olympic-caliber ski resort in the Alpensia mountains, and it’s building a high-speed rail link that would take Olympic participants 110 miles from Seoul to Pyeongchang. … Pyeongchang would spend $1.8 million on visits by national Olympic committee officials and $1.05 million on trips by international federation experts, and it would invest $500 million to develop athletes and upgrade sports facilities and training centers in South Korea. … The bid’s most recognizable face is reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na.
Why it will win: The Winter Games have been held in Asia only twice, in Sapporo, Japan, in 1972 and in Nagano, Japan, in 1998, and Pyeongchang represents a chance for the IOC to uncover the potential of the Olympics, with South Korea’s growing economy and Asia home to 60 percent of the world’s population, including 650 million youth.
Why it will lose: Luck isn’t on Pyeongchang’s side, as Pyeongchang led after the first round of ballots for 2010 and for 2014, and IOC voters might oppose a retread candidate.
Criticism of bid: One of the bid’s leaders, Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, admitted to illegal financial dealings in 2008, and Lee Kwang-jae was stripped of his position as governor of the Gangwon Province in January after being convicted of corruption.
Local opposition: South Korea has technically been in a state of war with North Korea since 1953, and some Pyeongchang residents fear that if the city is awarded the Olympics, it will give North Korea motivation to escalate tensions.
If it loses: South Korea has made plans to submit Busan, the host of the 2002 Asian Games, as a candidate for 2020 if Pyeongchang is denied again.
For this reporter: Free wireless Internet at competition venues would be a cost-saver.
< The Gazette >
The International Olympic Committee will have an awfully tough task on its hands when selecting the host for the 2018 Winter Games through a secret-ballot vote Wednesday in Durban, South Africa, with Pyeongchang a slim favorite on Munich, and Annecy in third.
Each city paid the IOC a $150,000 fee when the bidding process kicked off in 2009, and a voting majority is needed for victory. An IOC report issued last month stated “all three candidate cities could successfully host … with each city offering its own distinct vision and concept.” Neither city was endorsed, as the IOC deemed “each city’s concept offers a viable option to the IOC, though the very nature of each project presents different risks.”
IOC president Jacques Rogge insists the race is too close to call. “I think it’s very close,” Rogge told reporters last month in Switzerland. “Don’t ask me numbers. But it’s going to be a close race, definitely. I don’t expect a big gap between the three cities.”
A look at the candidates:
ANNECY
Olympics in France: Albertville, 1992 winter; Grenoble, 1968 winter; Paris, 1924 summer; Chamonix, 1924 winter; Paris, 1900 summer
Failed Olympic bids: Paris for 2012 summer, second; Paris for 2008 summer, third; Lille for 2004 summer, didn’t make the cut; Paris for 1992 summer, second; Lyon for 1968 summer, third; Lyon for 1920 summer, not selected
Population: 52,890
Bid budget: $42.7 million
Approval rating: 51 percent in Annecy, 62 percent in France
Main attraction: The action would take place in two major clusters in Annecy and nearby Chamonix, with all 13 competition venues within a 20-mile radius and 80 percent of athletes less than 10 minutes from their sites, linked by rail, road and motorway access.
Things to know: Annecy already has 65 percent of its infrastructure in place. … Annecy would have about 240,000 rooms available at 530 hotels. … The international airport in Geneva is 25 minutes from Annecy. … Spending is projected at $5.2 billion, including $3.4 billion on infrastructure and $1.85 billion on organizing costs. … The bid is backed by IOC member Jean-Claude Killy, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in Alpine skiing.
Why it will win: If the IOC is looking for a postcard backdrop, it can’t do better than Annecy, a resort city with a glistening lake, situated in the heart of the French Alps.
Why it will lose: The IOC hasn’t awarded back-to-back Winter Games to the same continent since the 1990s, and unlike Munich, Annecy doesn’t have the name recognition to justify a return to Europe after the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Criticism of bid: Edgar Grospiron resigned as bid leader in December, frustrated by the bid’s lack of funding, and he was replaced by French entrepreneur Charles Beigbeder.
Local opposition: The Annecy Anti-Olympic Committee has a petition with 13,140 signatures of people who don’t want the Winter Games in France, supporting what the group calls “unacceptable demands of the IOC,” as well as “adverse impacts on the environment and on uncontrolled public spending with long-term debt.”
If it loses: The French have declared their intention to bid for the 2020 Summer Games if Annecy loses its 2018 campaign, with Paris as the likely candidate. If France isn’t picked for 2018 or 2020, watch for Toulouse in a bid for the 2022 Winter Games, joining forces with unspecified cities in Andorra and Spain. And if France fails for 2018, 2020 and 2022, expect Paris as a contender for the 2024 Summer Games, as that year would mark the 100th anniversary of the last time the French capital hosted the Olympics.
For this reporter: Flying into Switzerland to cover an Olympics in France? No thanks.
MUNICH
Olympics in Germany: Munich, 1972 summer; Berlin, 1936 summer; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1936 winter
Failed Olympic bids: Leipzig for 2012 summer, didn’t make the cut; Berlin for 2000 summer, fourth; Berchtesgaden for 1992 winter, seventh; Garmisch-Partenkirchen for 1960 winter, fourth; Cologne, Frankfurt and Nuremberg for 1936 summer, didn’t make the cut; Berlin for 1908 summer, not selected
Population: 1,330,440
Bid budget: $43 million
Approval rating: 60 percent in Munich, 56 percent in Germany
Main attraction: Fifteen competition venues would be situated over Munich, for ice events; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, for snow events; and Koenigssee, for sliding events, with Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Koenigssee each about 90 minutes from Munich.
Things to know: About $222 million would be spent on venues and accommodation, and about $55.5 million is targeted for environmental projects. … The bid is chaired by two-time Olympic gold medalist figure skater Katarina Witt. … The bid’s most influential voice on the international front is IOC vice president Thomas Bach.
Why it will win: The Winter Games have deep roots in Europe, Germans love winter sports and Munich boasts the financial backing of German sponsors, most notably BMW.
Why it will lose: No city has hosted both the Summer Games and the Winter Games, and the cards are stacked against Munich because of Pyeongchang’s third straight bid.
Criticism of bid: Munich bidding for the Olympics has rekindled memories of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Summer Games, arguably the darkest moment in Olympic history, in which Palestinian militants killed 11 athletes and coaches from Israel.
Local opposition: Nearly 60 Bavarian farmers and landowners initially refused to release their land in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to make way for the enlargement of skiing venues. The bid also has come under fire from the Green party and several ecological associations because of the environmental effects of artificial snow, the use of temporary sites and road construction projects that are sure to result in a long-term increase in traffic.
If it loses: If Munich goes down, Germany is likely to recast the city as a 2022 candidate.
For this reporter: A big city provides lots of attractions – and restaurants. Sign me up.
PYEONGCHANG
Olympics in South Korea: Seoul, 1988 summer
Failed Olympic bids: Pyeongchang for 2014 winter, second; Pyeongchang for 2010 winter, second
Population: 46,531
Bid budget: $31.5 million
Approval rating: 92 percent in Pyeongchang, 87 percent in South Korea
Main attraction: Thirteen competition sites would be split between the coastline and the mountains, all linked by rail and roads to keep travel time under 30 minutes in what’s billed as a low-risk bid that offers the most compact venue plan in Winter Games history.
Things to know: South Korea spent $1.4 billion in constructing an Olympic-caliber ski resort in the Alpensia mountains, and it’s building a high-speed rail link that would take Olympic participants 110 miles from Seoul to Pyeongchang. … Pyeongchang would spend $1.8 million on visits by national Olympic committee officials and $1.05 million on trips by international federation experts, and it would invest $500 million to develop athletes and upgrade sports facilities and training centers in South Korea. … The bid’s most recognizable face is reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na.
Why it will win: The Winter Games have been held in Asia only twice, in Sapporo, Japan, in 1972 and in Nagano, Japan, in 1998, and Pyeongchang represents a chance for the IOC to uncover the potential of the Olympics, with South Korea’s growing economy and Asia home to 60 percent of the world’s population, including 650 million youth.
Why it will lose: Luck isn’t on Pyeongchang’s side, as Pyeongchang led after the first round of ballots for 2010 and for 2014, and IOC voters might oppose a retread candidate.
Criticism of bid: One of the bid’s leaders, Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, admitted to illegal financial dealings in 2008, and Lee Kwang-jae was stripped of his position as governor of the Gangwon Province in January after being convicted of corruption.
Local opposition: South Korea has technically been in a state of war with North Korea since 1953, and some Pyeongchang residents fear that if the city is awarded the Olympics, it will give North Korea motivation to escalate tensions.
If it loses: South Korea has made plans to submit Busan, the host of the 2002 Asian Games, as a candidate for 2020 if Pyeongchang is denied again.
For this reporter: Free wireless Internet at competition venues would be a cost-saver.
< The Gazette >
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
PyeongChang to hold Olympic bid presentation in Togo
PyeongChang, a South Korean candidate for the 2018 Winter Olympics, will hold a bid presentation before International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials next week in Togo, its bidding committee said Wednesday.
The committee said PyeongChang's two rivals, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France, will also present at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly next Tuesday. The committee added it will be the candidates' final joint presentation before the IOC votes on the host city at its General Assembly on July 6 in Durban, South Africa.
PyeongChang, an alpine town located about 180 kilometers east of Seoul, is bidding to host the country's first Winter Games. It came up short in two earlier bids, narrowly losing to Vancouver, Canada for the 2010 Games and to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 edition.
PyeongChang officials said Kim Yu-na, an Olympic gold medalist in ladies' figure skating and an honorary ambassador for PyeongChang, will be a presenter. Joining her will be Cho Yang-ho, head of the bidding committee, and Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC).
PyeongChang has built its case around running a compact, athlete-friendly Olympics with all venues within 30 minutes of each other, and on building a new legacy for winter sports in Asia.
Japan remains the only Asian country to have hosted the Winter Olympics -- 1972 in Sapporo and 1998 in Nagano.
The candidate cities last held a joint presentation in May at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
There are 110 vote-wielding IOC members, but those from candidate cities' countries plus the IOC President Jacques Rogge aren't eligible to vote.
Rogge can only vote in case of a tie in the final round of balloting.
< Korea Herald >
The committee said PyeongChang's two rivals, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France, will also present at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly next Tuesday. The committee added it will be the candidates' final joint presentation before the IOC votes on the host city at its General Assembly on July 6 in Durban, South Africa.
PyeongChang, an alpine town located about 180 kilometers east of Seoul, is bidding to host the country's first Winter Games. It came up short in two earlier bids, narrowly losing to Vancouver, Canada for the 2010 Games and to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 edition.
PyeongChang officials said Kim Yu-na, an Olympic gold medalist in ladies' figure skating and an honorary ambassador for PyeongChang, will be a presenter. Joining her will be Cho Yang-ho, head of the bidding committee, and Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC).
PyeongChang has built its case around running a compact, athlete-friendly Olympics with all venues within 30 minutes of each other, and on building a new legacy for winter sports in Asia.
Japan remains the only Asian country to have hosted the Winter Olympics -- 1972 in Sapporo and 1998 in Nagano.
The candidate cities last held a joint presentation in May at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
There are 110 vote-wielding IOC members, but those from candidate cities' countries plus the IOC President Jacques Rogge aren't eligible to vote.
Rogge can only vote in case of a tie in the final round of balloting.
< Korea Herald >
South Korea hoping to be chosen as host
South Korea is hoping that its city of PyeongChang comes up trumps when the host of the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is announced at the 123rd International Olympic Committee (IOC) session at Durban's International Convention Centre in two weeks.
More than 2,500 sports administrators, media, business and political leaders are|expected to attend the session, with the highlight being the announcement of the 2018 winter games host city.
PyeongChang is up against two European rivals - Munich, Germany and Annecy, France. The city wants to bring the winter games to South Korea for the first time and to Asia for the third time. Both France and Germany have hosted the event previously.
The city was labelled the favourite in the bids for the 2010 and 2014 games, but was beaten by Vancouver, Canada and Sochi, Russia.
Bid chairman and Korean Air boss Yang Ho Cho said while they were very confident, they would not rest and would be campaigning until the end.
"We can't afford to relax until voting day on July 6 in Durban. The message we are sending to the IOC members is that with PyeongChang is a huge opportunity to grow winter sports in Asia - a market with huge potential. The important thing is to show that we have the capacity and the passion to host this event, and that's what we are doing," said Yang.
Bid committee operations co-ordinator Dan Moon said more than 80 percent of the South Korean population backed the bid.
< The Mercury >
More than 2,500 sports administrators, media, business and political leaders are|expected to attend the session, with the highlight being the announcement of the 2018 winter games host city.
PyeongChang is up against two European rivals - Munich, Germany and Annecy, France. The city wants to bring the winter games to South Korea for the first time and to Asia for the third time. Both France and Germany have hosted the event previously.
The city was labelled the favourite in the bids for the 2010 and 2014 games, but was beaten by Vancouver, Canada and Sochi, Russia.
Bid chairman and Korean Air boss Yang Ho Cho said while they were very confident, they would not rest and would be campaigning until the end.
"We can't afford to relax until voting day on July 6 in Durban. The message we are sending to the IOC members is that with PyeongChang is a huge opportunity to grow winter sports in Asia - a market with huge potential. The important thing is to show that we have the capacity and the passion to host this event, and that's what we are doing," said Yang.
Bid committee operations co-ordinator Dan Moon said more than 80 percent of the South Korean population backed the bid.
< The Mercury >
South Korean president to attend IOC session
South Africa's Olympic committee says South Korea President Lee Myung-bak will attend next month's IOC session in Durban in support of Pyeongchang's bid for the 2018 Winter Games.
SASCOC's Sam Ramsamy, who is also a member of the IOC, says that Lee will be present at the July 4-9 meeting in South Africa's east coast city, where the IOC will choose the host.
Pyeongchang is up against Munich and Annecy, France.
Ramsamy said German President Christian Wulff will also be present to lobby for Munich at the session, but it was still unclear if French President Nicolas Sarkozy would attend for Annecy.
< AP >
SASCOC's Sam Ramsamy, who is also a member of the IOC, says that Lee will be present at the July 4-9 meeting in South Africa's east coast city, where the IOC will choose the host.
Pyeongchang is up against Munich and Annecy, France.
Ramsamy said German President Christian Wulff will also be present to lobby for Munich at the session, but it was still unclear if French President Nicolas Sarkozy would attend for Annecy.
< AP >
Kim Yu-na, Durban's Presenter
PyeongChang 2018 Bid Committee has decided to send a delegation including Cho Yang-ho, head of the bidding committee, on 27th to present at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) General Assembly held in Lomé, Togo.
Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), Kim Yu-na, an Olympic gold medalist in ladies' figure skating, and Na Seong-yeon, the committee's spokesperson, will join Mr.cho in making presentation about how PyeongChang is well suited to hold 2018 Winter Olympics. Kim Yu-na was supposed to fly to Durban, South Africa, next month with the main delegation on a chartered plane, but as her technical briefing at Lausanne, Switzerland was well received, it was decided that the figure skater would attend this general assembly. Also, to prepare for a visit to Togo, it was said that she got 4 innoculation shots, including one for yellow fever. To successfully win the bid, PyeongChang Bid Committee's advance delegation composed of 9 people, including Kim Dae-hyun, the planning director, and Oh Won-jong, the strategic planning manager, left on 26th. Upon the arrival the Durban, they will inspect the committee headquarters and IOC conference room so that the main delegation can get to work as soon as they arrive on July, 1st.
Park Yong-sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), Kim Yu-na, an Olympic gold medalist in ladies' figure skating, and Na Seong-yeon, the committee's spokesperson, will join Mr.cho in making presentation about how PyeongChang is well suited to hold 2018 Winter Olympics. Kim Yu-na was supposed to fly to Durban, South Africa, next month with the main delegation on a chartered plane, but as her technical briefing at Lausanne, Switzerland was well received, it was decided that the figure skater would attend this general assembly. Also, to prepare for a visit to Togo, it was said that she got 4 innoculation shots, including one for yellow fever. To successfully win the bid, PyeongChang Bid Committee's advance delegation composed of 9 people, including Kim Dae-hyun, the planning director, and Oh Won-jong, the strategic planning manager, left on 26th. Upon the arrival the Durban, they will inspect the committee headquarters and IOC conference room so that the main delegation can get to work as soon as they arrive on July, 1st.
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