RIA Novosti reports that St. Petersburg Russia will bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The news agency reports that Governor Valentina Matviyenko said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio, “we will bid for the right (to host the Games). This will boost the development of the city”.
She added she had already discussed the issue with Leonid Tyagachyov, President of the Russian Olympic Committee, and said it would be necessary to see if there was support from the Russian president and the government.
Earlier the governor told RIA Novosti that St. Petersburg had every chance of being awarded the Olympics, if not in 2020, than at the next Olympic Games (in 2024). After Sochi was awarded the 2014 Winter Games Matviyenko said there was a possibility St. Petersburg would bid for the 2020 Games.
The city bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics but was not chosen one of the five Candidate Cities.
