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IOC BOSS BACH DISCOURAGING AUSTRALIA’S 2032 OLYMPICS BID

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BY DUCAN MACKAY

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach on Saturday signalled that another major change to how host cities are selected is on the horizon.

Bach was addressing the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) Annual General Meeting in Sydney where he hailed the number of cities and countries interested in bidding for the Games but admitted he feared the current system “creates too many losers in the end”.

This was the first time an IOC President has attended an AOC meeting.

His words will have been particularly studied by the AOC because they are planning to put forward Brisbane as a candidate to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games  – and some experts have already installed the Queensland city as the early favourite.

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Other cities to have also already publicly announced they are interested in bidding are Jakarta in Indonesia and Mumbai in India.

There is also a proposal for a joint Pyongyang-Seoul bid from North and South Korea.

The IOC took the unprecedented decision in 2017 to award two Olympic Games together.

Paris were given the 2024 Games while its only rival, Los Angeles, were awarded 2028. 

Bach is clearly keen to avoid a scenario in the bid race for the 2032 Olympic Games where a leading international city invests time and money on a campaign only to ultimately fail. 

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“With Olympic Agenda 2020 we are revolutionising the way future Olympic Games are organised,” he told the AOC meeting. 

“In the past, bidding for the Olympic Games was like applying for a franchise. 

“We asked potential hosts how they would change their cities in order to adapt them to the Olympic Games. 

“Now we ask them how we can adapt the Games to best fit the long-term needs of their city or region.

“These reforms have created momentum. 

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“At this time, we have not even elected the host city for the Olympic Winter Games 2026. 

“But already now we have expressions of interest from numerous cities and regions for the Olympic Winter Games 2030, and even for the Olympic Games 2032, 13 years in advance. 

“This shows the even growing relevance and global appeal of the Olympic Games. 

“This is why half the world’s population tuned in to follow the Olympic Games Rio 2016. 

“Now we have the positive challenge to manage these expressions of interests. 

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“While having many candidates at the start of the process might look good at a first glance, it creates too many losers in the end. 

“This is why we need to focus on the best possible host for the best athletes of the world without creating too many losers.”

AOC President John Coates was last month appointed by Bach to chair a working group investigating possible changes to the bid process.

Bach said he wanted the group to “produce an evolution of the revolution of Olympic Agenda 2020”. 

The working group is expected to present its findings to the IOC Session due to take place in Lausanne between June 24 and 26. 

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The vote to choose the host city for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is due to take place at the IOC Session in 2025, the same meeting where will have to step down as President following the completion of his 12-year term. 

– insidethegames

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Olympics

Olympic rings removed from Eiffel Tower

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The Eiffel Tower and the Olympic Rings

The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.

The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June. 

According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo  wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.

The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.

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Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul

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Ahmed El-Gendy won Egypt's only gold at the Paris Olympics

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered  a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that  participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.

The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.

Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.

Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.

Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review. 

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Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.

-Insidethegames

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Paris 2024 Games break record ticket sales

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Beach Volleyball - Men's Gold Medal Match - Sweden vs Germany (Ahman/Hellvig vs Ehlers/Wickler) - Eiffel Tower Stadium, Paris, France - August 10, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo

Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.

Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.

In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.

-Reuters

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