IOC President Thomas Bach "left the door open" to the possibility of naming Paris and L.A. as hosts of the next two Summer Games, saying that "no option was off the table as it reviews its bidding process," according to Peter Rutherford of REUTERS. Bach said that the IOC would explore all options to make the candidature procedure "more proactive, more collaborative and also less expensive in the future." While some IOC members "expressed concern" that confirming Paris and L.A. as the hosts of the next two Olympics "carries financial and political risk," others feel it would "give the IOC stability over a longer period of time." Bach said that all options had to be "considered as the IOC explores changes to the procedures." He said, "Everything is on the table. No option is off the table. This includes the 2024-28 procedure and vote" (REUTERS, 3/17). The AP reported the IOC exec board asked its four VPs to "explore changes" in Olympic bidding and report back in July. Bach: "We have two excellent candidates there from two major Olympic countries. This is a position you like to be in." Bach said that the four-man working group "will make proposals to the board and full membership." They will meet from July 9-12 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where L.A. and Paris will make formal presentations of their '24 hosting plans (AP, 3/17).
