The IOC today "opened up the possibility of multi-city and countrywide bids after it voted in favor of changes to reduce the cost of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event," according to Danielle Rossingh of BLOOMBERG NEWS. Alterations to the bid process "formed part of a 40-point plan" by IOC President Thomas Bach to "modernize the games after the race for the 2022 Winter Olympics was cut to just two candidates." Bach said, "If we do not address these challenges here and now we will be hit by them very soon. If we do not drive these changes ourselves others will drive us to them.” Rossingh notes that "includes promoting the use of existing facilities and temporary venues and allowing joint bids by cities, neighboring countries or possibly even regions." Other "key points include making public the host city contracts -- which will include clauses on labor and environmental protection as well as non-discrimination on sexual orientation." The changes will "come into effect" for the '24 Games. The alterations "come two months after Oslo angered the IOC by withdrawing from the 2022 race because there wasn’t enough local support" to spend US$4.9B on the Games. Although IOC VP Craig Reedie said that the IOC bid process is "still 'the gold standard' in world sport, he said change is needed." Reedie: “If it is not attracting sufficient interest, then it is entirely proper for the IOC to sit down and look at it" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 12/8).
STEPPING IN TO HELP: The AP's Stephen Wilson cited Olympic officials as saying that a dozen different bobsled and luge tracks around the world "could step in to host events" for the '18 Pyeongchang Games if the sliding venue is moved out of South Korea. IOC officials said that they "remain in talks" with POCOG about relocating the sliding sports "to save money and avoid leaving South Korea with a venue that has little after use." The move was "requested by the IOC as part of new cost-cutting reforms," and includes a March deadline (AP, 12/7).
NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME: IOC and Brazilian organizers confirmed Friday that the competition schedule for the '16 Rio Games "includes late-night sessions" in two sports -- swimming finals running from 7:00-9:00pm ET, and "some beach volleyball matches starting at midnight on Copacabana Beach." The AP's Wilson reported the times are "geared toward NBC's night-time coverage" in the U.S., as well as Brazilian TV's "tradition of showing sports events at late hours." Rio will be "one hour ahead of Eastern Daylight Time during the Games" (AP, 12/5).
