International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said the city winning the election for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will do so by a tiny margin. He said during a teleconference, “it is probably going to be a couple of votes. Two, three, four votes, it is going to be very close. Don’t forget that something like four, five votes is a change of mind of just two or three people.
“Maybe the cities’ last presentation in Copenhagen will sway the votes of two members”, he said.
He added, “we are heading for what I believe will be a fascinating 10 days in Copenhagen. We are very thrilled that the four candidates are of first class. Each of them could organize very good Games”.
Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo are competing to host the 2016 Games.
Rogge said IOC members would consider all aspects including potential revenues and geographic location. He said, “the vast majority of members will vote on the fundamentals. Is it a good bid, do we trust the people in charge, is transport ok, are the venues ok…these are the most important considerations.
“It is the confidence you have in the people who have made the bid and will organize the Games”.
He added that Olympics were not awarded to anonymous organizing committees but to those running the bids. He said, “you give the Games to a couple of people and the charisma of those people. Revenue is not the main and most important factor”.
