Negotiations will start "right away" with Paris and L.A. over the running order for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics, IOC President Thomas Bach said in his first comments after IOC members approved the combo award plan. Potentially difficult questions still must be addressed, but the two cities' mayors and Bach struck a triumphant tone during a joint press conference, indicating they fully expect the negotiations to succeed. "For the first time in a generation, we're going to bring you an Olympics home," L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said, addressing his constituents. "For my daughter, for your children and your grandchildren, they will experience what the magic of that experience is, they will see what it means to have the world in your backyard." Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also spoke in lofty terms. "I pledge all my creativity and all my efforts and all my desire to reach this agreement so Paris too can get back to a wonderful adventure that it has been waiting for 100 years," Hidalgo said. Bach called it a "great, great moment" in Olympic history. "Because ensuring stability for 11 years is really something, in our world, that is extraordinary," he said. Both mayors avoided expressing any thoughts on accepting '28 versus '24. Hidalgo was non-committal when reminded of the Paris bid's earlier statements that it did not want '28, as was Garcetti when asked a similar question. Garcetti did hint at the financial nature of the upcoming talks: "Both will have to have the resources necessary, through their own fundraising, or through the IOC and others, to make that happen," he said. "But I wouldn’t describe it as a moment of leverage. I would describe it as a moment of friendship and common understanding. Both bids and the IOC left the press conference for a dinner, where Bach said that one deal had already been struck: A California chardonnay to start, followed by a French Bordeaux.
'WORKING HARD': In London, Geoff Earle reported U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that he is "working hard" to bring the Olympics to L.A.
Trump's tweet came after Garcetti and French President Emmanuel Macron -- whom Trump is to meet this week when he flies to Paris for Bastille Day -- spoke about a "possible deal" that would make both winners of upcoming summer Games (
DAILY MAIL, 7/11).
NEW PROCESS: The IOC approved changes to the candidature process for the 2026 Winter Games that will reduce costs, simplify procedures and provide more assistance to National Olympic Committees and cities at every stage. The changes include two alterations to the process timeline. The invitation phase will expand to a full year, giving NOCs and cities more time and more help to develop their proposals. The formal candidature phase will shorten from two years to one, significantly reducing the cost of a candidature. IOC President Thomas Bach said that the changes address both external and internal challenges presented by a new political dynamic and the IOC's failure to adequately respond to them (IOC).
