The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission released its 119-page technical report Monday on the three cities bidding to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
The report was a technical analysis on the 17 themes detailed in each city’s Candidate File.
In the report the Commission wrote it believes that all three Candidate Cities could successfully host the 2018 Winter Games “with each city offering its own distinct vision and concept”. The Commission unanimously agreed that “each city’s concept offers a viable option to the IOC though the very nature of each project presents different risks”.
There were no major revelations or game-changing criticism in the report.
The report said Munich would need to improve plans to sustain high national support in the seven-year run-up to the Games, and Annecy was praised for its comprehensive environmental plan and what the IOC called a “workable model for Olympic Winter Games sustainability”.
However Annecy’s accommodation plan was not as compact as its rivals which would create “operational and financial challenges”, and the bid’s travel times were also longer than the other two candidates’ bids, said the report.
All three bids had low risks in terms of security, said the report.
Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of PyeongChang 2018, said he was “absolutely delighted that the IOC’s report confirms PyeongChang is considered ready to welcome the Olympic and Paralympic Games to South Korea for the first time”.
He added, “we are particularly delighted that the report praises PyeongChang’s efficient and compact Games Plan, and that the IOC has acknowledged that we have kept our promises and developed a sports resort tailor-made for the Winter Games, ensuring athletes, the Olympic Family, and winter sports fans will have a convenient, safe and fun Winter Games experience”.
Annecy’s bid chief Charles Beigbeder said, “we found the IOC’s input during the entire technical process to be invaluable and they have helped us refine our technical proposals to develop a plan that would benefit Winter Sports all over the globe.
“We believe this strong report will help us to convince the Olympic Family that Annecy offers the best possible and most nurturing home for the 2018 Winter and Paralympic Games”.
Bernhard Schwank, CEO of the Munich 2018 Bid Committee, said they were “absolutely thrilled with the IOC Evaluation Commission’s report on Munich 2018”.
He added, “it was particularly pleasing to see that the core pillars of our Winter Games concept clearly resonated with the Commission during its visit, particularly Munich 2018’s compact, athlete-friendly plan and our unique story of Olympic sustainability. The report cites our strong and innovative sustainability strategy with the extensive use of existing and temporary facilities; we are delighted that our vision of staging a Winter Games in existing Summer Games venues for the first time in Olympic history struck a chord with the Commission”.
Watch GamesBids.com for more analysis of the IOC Commission’s report.
