The Associated Press reports French International Olympic Committee (IOC) members Jean-Claude Killy and Guy Drut say Annecy is lagging behind its rivals in the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Drut reportedly told L’Equipe newspaper that Annecy organizers started their campaign too late and have failed to convince IOC members that their revamped plans will create a focused concept around centrally located venues.
Following the IOC’s criticism in June of the bid’s spread-out venues, Annecy officials changed their plans and now have a project centred around Annecy and Chamonix.
Drut added, “we started from too far back. This project moves away from the point and despite all the efforts that have been made to concentrate the venues, we failed to change our image in the eyes of IOC members”.
Killy said Edgar Grospiron, head of Annecy’s bid, is “an amazing guy who is giving everything he has got”, adding that other Annecy officials are not aware of the IOC’s requirements. “We are heading for a fall. Drastic measures are required”.
Annecy is competing against Munich and PyeongChang. The host city for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be elected July 6, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
