CITIES GET THEIR FILL OF INFORMATION

Lausanne, 3rd November - The six applicant cities that have bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games are taking part in two important events this week. On the 1st and 2nd of November, the first "Bidding for the Games" conference, followed, on the 3rd and 4th,by a more specific seminar designed for them only.

Officials from Baku, Doha, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome and Tokyo, along with about 20 other cities and their NOCs, were at the Olympic Museum for a two-day "Bidding for the Games" Conference organised by the IOC, with the goal of gaining valuable insight into what it takes to bid for and ultimately host the Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games.

At the conference, officially opened by Dr. Jacques Rogge, the Participants were given presentations on the vision and long-term plans behind recent and upcoming Games from representatives of Singapore 2010, London 2012, Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016, followed by sessions on planning for and staging the Games and the Youth Olympic Games, and a panel discussion on the various aspects of Olympic legacy.

Day two featured sessions on the bidding process, the importance of building partnerships in bidding for and delivering the Games, and the potential benefits that can be gained from bidding itself, irrespective of the outcome, and ended with an overview of Rio 2016's Olympic journey.

The Conference, structured to provide those in attendance with ample opportunities to put their questions to the experts and produce enthusiastic two-way discussions, is now being followed by a more specific seminar for the 2020 Applicant Cities held at the IOC headquarters, which will allow officials to receive detailed information on the rules and the different phases of the application that will lead up to the election scheduled for the 7th of September 2013 during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires.

(Source: eurolympic.org)