London, four other cities get IOC pass

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Tuesday trimmed the size of bidders for the 2012 Summer Olympics from nine to a manageable five, with Europe now having an edge to hosting the Games.

The downsizing was done at an IOC Executive Committee Board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland where New York, London, Moscow, Paris and Madrid were selected ahead of Havana, Cuba; Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil; Istanbul, Turkey and Leipzig, Germany.

Jacques Rogge, the IOC president announced it was a unanimous decision taken by the members which will now culminate in a 14-month marathon race for the selection of the final candidate by the full IOC Assembly in Singapore in July 2005.

Already, analysts are pointing at the French capital, Paris as run-away favourite for reasons of security and geography.

Security, because the Paris has remained somewhat of a friend to the Arab Middle East in the face of the United States led Allied-Invasion of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, and the subsequent violent reprisal attacks on coalition forces.

Geography, because the IOC is always reluctant to award the hosting rights to the same continent in consecutive orders. In this case, Canada, (Vancouver, British Columbia) North America hosts the 2010 Winter Games, while Beijing, China hosts the 2008 Summer Games.

Paris successfully hosted the FIFA World Cup finals in 1998 and the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2003. It hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924 and also failed in bids to host 1992 and 2008 editions.

London which has also hosted the Olympics in 1908 and 1948 is also seen as a strong challenger for the 2012 Games. Prime Minister Tony Blair, while on visit to Nigeria for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting last December, had hinted on the London’s preparedness to host a benefiting Games if given the nod.

The London bid committee has already mapped out a development plan in the North London district, but observers still believe the chaotic transportation system and Blair’s pro-U.S policies may play against it.

Of the lot, New York is seen as an outsider in the wake of the anti-American sentiments expressed after the Iraq invasion. Rogge said the board could further down size the five to four if it finds “any shortcomings” with any of them.

Rogge calls the trimming as “separating the boys from the men.”

The five cities who have qualified to the next rounds of facilities inspection before the final decision are now to pay 500,000 USD to cover cost of the remaining process.

Tuesday’s voting saw the exclusion of three executive because they are from countries with bid cities. Jim Easton, of United States, Thomas Bach, of Germany and Russia’s Vitaly Smirnov.

Report by Joe van Miebi