Munich 2018’s presentation to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Guangzhou, China Saturday was centred on Munich 2018’s “Festival of Friendship” – what it calls an innovative concept designed to create the perfect conditions for elite athlete performance.
The bid committee vowed to unite the world’s athletes for “the greatest experience of their lives” should Munich be awarded the 2018 Winter Games.
Katarina Witt, Chair of the bid committee, said, “the experience that we create for athletes at the Winter Games should be the greatest experience of their lives. The atmosphere should be more than they have ever dreamed of. Full stadia, fans who cheer for everyone, a city filled with the festival spirit. A nation completely swept up on the celebration. A world fascinated by their stories and glued to their televisions. And that is exactly what your athletes will experience in Bavaria. We are not just promising full stadia – we guarantee full stadia. Germany delivers the kind of winter sports events that inspire athletes to perform at their best”, she said.
Bernhard Schwank, bid committee CEO, talked about the “uniquely” athlete-friendly assets of the Bavarian capital’s concept – “a Two Park plan that blends competition and celebration sites into a unified setting; 80 per cent of the athletes within five minutes of their venues. Only three new venues to build, all on existing sports sites. Full stadia for every event and a magical atmosphere throughout the city”.
Siegfried Schneider emphasized that Munich 2018’s “bold” dream of hosting a global “Festival of Friendship” is firmly grounded and achievable. He reiterated the cross-party political support from all levels that have been confirmed in recent weeks.
The presentation ended with Witt saying, “Munich will create a level of global excitement about the Winter Games that will draw tens of millions of young people back to winter sports. It will deliver a tremendous affirmation of what the Olympic Movement stands for – a celebration of athletic excellence, global friendship and mutual respect. That is what our “Festival of Friendship” represents: the promise of a stronger Olympic Movement through a Games that will simply thrill everyone”.
