The International Olympic Committee has launched its reformed bidding procedure with a new invitation phase, during which National Olympic Committees can discuss their plans “at their earliest convenience” before the application deadline of 15 September.

This new consultative approach, launched four weeks after the adoption of Agenda 2020, will help NOCs to ascertain the viability of bidding for the Games before committing in full. 

These early discussions with the IOC have the potential to reducing the cost of bidding and organising the Games for cities – one of the key aims of Agenda 2020.

The concept of “shaping the bid process as an invitation” has been central to the Agenda 2020 review right from its inception. 

Another key aim of Agenda 2020 with regard to bidding process is to strengthen the evaluation of bid cities to more clearly highlight key opportunities and risks.

Until now, the bidding process for the Olympic Games has been split into two phases – the “applicant” and “candidature” phases, which will now follow the invitation phase. 

In the applicant phase, cities send in an application file which is studied by an IOC working group, who assess the bid for the IOC executive board. If approved by the board, the bid then progresses to the candidature phase, which requires much more detailed plans in the form of a candidature file and site visits. 

Interested NOCs and cities will now be able to receive “various levels of assistance and feedback” between now and the 15 September deadline for officially committing to a bid. 

“Bidding for the Games is not a tender for a franchise, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” the IOC said in a statement.

“The bid process is about making proposals and offering solutions that will deliver excellent Games, with no compromise on the field of play for the athletes while also meeting the needs of the city and region to ensure the Games leave a positive, long-term, sustainable legacy.”

Cities considering bidding for the Games are encouraged to place greater emphasis on the use of existing, temporary and demountable venues.

During the invitation phase, the IOC will inform interested parties of the “core requirements” necessary to organise the Games in order “to assist interested cities and their NOCs to develop a project that best meets each city’s unique long-term development needs.” 

The IOC also expressed its satisfaction with the “strong interest" in hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, with the NOCs of Germany, Italy and the United States already indicating their intention to bid.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has confirmed that it is not yet considering a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games as it has committed its resources to winning the bid for Durban 2022 and would require further information from the IOC before considering an Olympic bid.

“The bidding process for the CWG requires enormous time, dedication and resources in order for one to put forward a successful bid,” said SASCOC in a statement on Wednesday.

“With our focus solely on delivering the games to the city of Durban, the Board of SASCOC will not be diverted from this mission.”

HOST CITY reported on Monday that a bid for the Olympic Games incorporating cities all over South Africa was being contemplated. This would be made possible through the IOC’s recent Agenda 2020 changes to bidding procedure. 

SASCOC was not able to verify this when contacted by HOST CITY on Monday. 

Shortly after the publication of this report, which was picked up on by various other media, SASCOC issued a statement saying that they were being inundated with queries from media on whether SASCOC is intending to bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. 

“An Olympic bid is not currently under consideration,” SASCOC confirmed.

“The Board of SASCOC is at this time fully committed to bidding for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. The first step is to win the bid and then to deliver a successful Games,” said Tubby Reddy, CEO of SASCOC.

“The Board has not received any notification or correspondence from the International Olympic Committee with regard to the bidding process for the 2024 Olympic Games. Therefore, the issue of South Africa bidding for the 2024 Olympic Games does not arise.

“Once this communiqué is received, the SASCOC Board will engage with Honourable Minister Fikile Mbalula and National Government on whether one is going to consider an Olympic Games bid in 2024.”

In support of Durban’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, SASCOC exhibited at HOST CITY Bid to Win conference in October, which attracted an extremely high level of speakers and delegates including David Grevemberg, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation. 

Durban faces strong competition from Edmonton in its bid to host the Commonwealth Games. 

“Winning the bid for the CWG will be very significant for the City of Durban, especially as the other city is Edmonton, Canada,” said Reddy. 

“Canada has already hosted the Games four times. We are seriously focused on the prize of winning the bid and we will not be distracted by other issues that have not been sanctioned by the SASCOC Board.”

The host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be elected on 2 September 2015.

SASCOC has until 15 September 2015 to define its applicant for the 2024 Olympic Games. 

With one hundred days to go until the Baku 2015 European Games, thirteen stars from the world of music, television and entertainment were announced as ambassadors on Tuesday afternoon. 

The ambassador programme will boost engagement in the event by tapping into the celebrities' fan base, while the massive scale of the European Games will help the stars to build their own following.

“I am delighted to celebrate 150 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the first European Games with the support of these fantastic celebrities as official ambassadors of the Games,” said Mr Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports and Chief Executive Officer of Baku 2015.

“I am sure that our celebrity ambassadors will generate great excitement with the young people of Azerbaijan and encourage more people to get involved with the Games.”

The ambassadors include singers Tunzala Aghayeva, Miri Yusif, Roya, and Eurovision winners Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, comedians Bahram Baghirzade, Rafael and Joshqun, and Tahir and Jabir Imanov, and musician DJ Shock. Well-known presenters Murad Dadashov and Ilkin Hasani will also take part. 

The programme will allow Baku 2015 to reach a range of audiences in Azerbaijan and Europe, using the celebrity ambassadors’ star appeal and popularity to share messages about the event.

 “Whenever I am on stage I give everything to make it a great performance. In June, it will be Azerbaijan putting on an unforgettable show for the whole of Europe to enjoy,” said singer Ms Tunzala Aghayeva at the launch event at the Mugham Center in Baku.

“As a Baku 2015 Celebrity Ambassador I will be working to encourage people to get involved with Baku 2015 through initiatives such as the volunteer programme, and play a part in creating history for our country.”

Participants will help to promote the Games by visiting Baku 2015 venues, taking part in countdown events, supporting campaigns, and using their own social media channels to reach millions of followers.

 “This announcement is the next step in expanding our ambassador programme and continues the great momentum we are generating as we continue our preparations to deliver a spectacular sporting event,” said Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015.

“I would like to thank all of our Celebrity Ambassadors for their support and we look forward to working with them to help promote Baku 2015 in the coming months.”

The Baku 2015 European Games begins on 12 June.

The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (SIHF) on Monday submitted its official candidacy for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)’s 2020 World Championship. 

Switzerland had previously announced it would bid for 2019, but is now targeting the 2020 edition. 

This leaves Slovakia as the only applicant for the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

The SIHF is being supported by international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media during the candidature phase, building upon their previous successful cooperation for the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Berne and Kloten.

“We are delighted to be entering the candidacy and are confident that we can soon bring the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship to Switzerland,” said SIHF president Marc Furrer.

“Such an ice hockey festival in our country will further boost our sport. Therefore it is even more important that we can count on Infront for the joint venture.”

If Switzerland’s bid is successful, Infront will manage the organisation and the national marketing of the tournament in a 50/50 joint venture with SIHF.

“We are delighted to support the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation at this early stage already and to jointly lay the foundation for potentially carrying out the event in Switzerland in five years,” said Bruno Marty, executive director winter sports at Infront.

“We will contribute our expertise from many successful consulting assignments and partnerships for past IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships to provide fans, media and sponsors with not only top international sporting events, but also a first-class tournament experience.”

The SIHF’s candidacy documentation, which it has submitted to the IIHF headquarters in Zurich, proposes to use Zurich’s 11,200-seat Hallenstadion as the main venue for the Championship with potential second venues in Lausanne or Zug. 

The tournament will take place over three weeks in April/May 2020.

Switzerland, 7th in the World Ranking, has hosted the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship eight times, four of which were in the Zurich region. 

Slovakia, 8th in the World Ranking, hosted its only IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship as an independent country in 2011 in Bratislava and Kosice. Bratislava also co-hosted the 1959 and 1992 World Championships with Prague.

The venues for the 2019 World Championship bid will be named in the upcoming weeks, according to the IIHF. The Slovak Ice Hockey Association announced Bratislava and Kosice as potential candidates in September but has kept its options open.

No other candidate federations have come forward for the 2019 or 2020 World Championships at time of publication. 

The host of both the 2019 and 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships will be announced in May 2015 at the IIHF Congress in Prague, Czech Republic during the 2015 World Championships.

The 2016 World Championships will be hosted in Moscow & St. Petersburg; 2017 in Cologne and Paris; and 2018 in Copenhagen & Herning.

The South African Olympic Committee is said to be contemplating a country-wide bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, inspired by the IOC’s recent Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms. 

“The country now has taken a different view of it, taking more of a country approach than a provincial,” Ivor Hoff, head of sports at Gauteng Province told HOST CITY exclusively. 

“Because of the new IOC bidding and hosting criteria, the country will take this into consideration.”

Gauteng Province had been mentioned as a potential contender for an Olympic bid. Durban and Pretoria have also been mentioned as possible candidates. 

But now, the South African Olympic Committee is instead said to be reviewing its bid for the 2024 Olympic Games and putting forward a proposal that links a number of host destinations.

“When Sam Ramsamy came back from [the IOC Session in] Switzerland he reported he is going to make a presentation to the South African parliament.”

 As South Africa’s parliament is in recess this week, Hoff expects Ramsamy to make the presentation next week. 

“Sam will make the presentation and decisions will be taken from there.”

HOST CITY contacted SASCOC but Sam Ramsamy was unavailable for comment.

Agenda 2020 opened up the Olympic bidding process to allow for bids to be spread across more than one city. 

“One city was quite a problematic approach, because it could potentially bankrupt that city,” said Hoff.

“A developmental country like South Africa could look at it more comprehensively with several cities – this would be much better for a developmental country like South Africa.”

South Africa has recent experience of hosting a nationwide mega event. 

Ivor Hoff was a key figure in hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with a particular focus on legacy benefits for health, education and housing.

“Based on a really positive 2010 FIFA World Cup, we’ve got a good understanding of how the country can benefit from hosting major events.”

South Africa has until 15 September 2015 to define its applicant for the 2024 Olympic Games. 

So far, Rome and Boston have announced their intention to bid. The host city will be elected at the 130th IOC Session in Lima on 15 September 2017.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has kicked off his bid for the FIFA presidency by telling media that the organisation must become more transparent.

In his first interview since announcing his candidacy, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein also announced plans to begin a ten year programme of reform, while stating he would not necessarily want to hold the position of president “long term”.

Speaking to the BBC, Prince Ali pointed to weaknesses within the current framework without directly attacking the other candidates Sepp Blatter and Jerome Champagne, in line with his promise to run a positive campaign. 

"Fifa as an organisation tends to be a bit secretive, but we should be confident and happy to be open and engaged with everyone,” Prince Ali said on Saturday. 

Prince Ali was a key figure in the push for FIFA to publish its report into alleged corruption. 

"I was the first to ask for the Garcia report to come out. We should have nothing to hide.

"I don't see a reason to be guarded. We have to bring the administration of sport into the current time we live in. I want to bring back that confidence.

"I believe we should be totally transparent.”

The move to making FIFA more transparent is part of a wider campaign to transform FIFA. 

"Reform is crucial,” he said.

This emphasis on reform has echoes of the recently approved Agenda 2020 programme at the IOC, of which Prince Ali’s older brother Prince Feisal is a member.

"I will look to a 10-year programme for the organisation where everyone is a part of it, and ourselves as the executive committee will implement it.”

In contrast to the lengthy terms served by current president Sepp Blatter and his predecessor Joao Havelange, Prince Ali told the BBC the role is "not something I want to do long term,” adding "A lot of things can happen and I'm confident we can [reform] in quick time."

He plans to build his manifesto through discussions with FIFA members. 

"In the coming months, I will be looking to sit down and talk to all our member associations and listen to them.

"I'm not coming in to dictate. I have my ideas and progress I want to implement, but I have to hear back from my colleagues.” 

Prince Ali’s campaign has been undermined by the assertion on Friday by Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation that all 46 AFC member associations will vote for Blatter.

His ability to run FIFA has also been called into question by his competitor Jerome Champagne, who told the BBC “Last year he lost the election in Asia, so if you don't have a base in your own region and own continent, how can you be expected to be elected at the world level?"

FIFA’s longstanding president Sepp Blatter on Friday welcomed Prince Ali entering the election race, telling Swiss newspaper Le Matin: "I can only rejoice in this nomination. We are a democracy, and this can only be beneficial for debate.

"And do not they say that win without peril is to triumph without glory?"

The president will be elected on 29th May at the FIFA Congress. 

According to the FIFA website, “In the spirit of true democracy, each national association has one vote, regardless of its size or footballing strength.”

The US Olympic Committee chose Boston on Thursday as the city that will bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, over competing offers from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. 

Boston has proposed a low-cost, regional and sustainable Games in keeping with the ideals of Olympic Agenda 2020, the new framework adopted by the IOC in December within which the bidding procedure for 2024 will operate.

The engagement of public and private stakeholders in Boston’s proposal is said to have outshone its rivals.

“One of the great things about the Boston bid was that the bid leadership and the political leadership were on the same page,” Scott Blackmun, chief executive of the US Olympic Committee told the Boston Globe. 

The White House gave a statement of presidential support for Boston, saying “The city has taught all of us what it means to be Boston Strong” – a reference to the slogan adopted by the city in the wake of the 2013 marathon bombings.

The decision was also welcomed by IOC president Thomas Bach, who said “The Boston bid will be a strong one.”

A major driver behind Agenda 2020 is change perceptions about the cost and benefit of hosting the Olympic Games. Boston proposes to spend just USD4.5bn on hosting the Games, which the bid committee says will be generated from broadcasting, sponsorship and ticketing revenues.

This figure does not include publicly funded investments in civic infrastructure, which the bid committee says the city has already committed to regardless of the Games bid. 

The cost of hosting the Games would be kept down by using existing facilities, including the multi-purpose TD Garden and a number of venues operated by colleges, such as Harvard Stadium, Boston College’s Conte Forum and Boston University’s Agganis Arena.

In a proposal reminiscent of London 2012, Boston’s Olympic stadium would be temporary, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events.

The US last hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996 at Atlanta. Since then the world’s biggest multisport event has been awarded to Asia/Oceania three times, Europe twice and South America once. 

The IOC does not, however, operate a policy of continental rotation and a number of factors will determine which city is selected in 2017 as the host of the 2024 Olympic Games. 

While current round of bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games has suffered from a crisis in appetite for hosting the Olympic Games, particulary in Europe, the race for 2024 is shaping up to be extremely competitive. 

Rome is the only other city so far to have confirmed it will bid for the 2024 Games, but a long list of other cities and regions are in various stages of evaluating and preparing bids. 

Baku, Budapest, Doha, Germany, Hamburg, Istanbul, Paris and South Africa are among the possible contenders. 

The selection of Boston will perhaps be something of a surprise to anyone outside the US Olympic Committee. Los Angeles, which has hosted the Olympics twice before, was the highest profile contender. Advisors to the IOC had indicated that Washington, D.C. had the strongest technical infrastructure. San Francisco is already established as one of the world’s most popular destinations for sports, business and leisure. 

Yet this is another factor behind Boston’s success: the city is new to Olympism, having never hosted or bid for an Olympic Games before. As such, it is less likely to show complacency in its bid, offering fresh pastures in an old city.

One of Boston’s biggest challenges will be garnering public support for the Games. A public meeting has been planned for Tuesday to gather feedback as the first stage of planning for the bid.

The Higher Organising Committee for Expo 2020 signed an agreement on Tuesday that positions Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre as its Heritage Strategic Partner.

Under the partnership, the Centre will organise a wide range of events and activities to promote the UAE’s heritage and culture during Expo 2020, which will be held in Dubai over nearly six months.

“The appointment constitutes an important step in our efforts to promote this international exhibition, add a cultural and heritage dimension to the event and enrich the experience for visitors and exhibitors,” said Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Managing Director of Expo 2020 Higher Committee.

“As a credible and trusted source on UAE national heritage and cultural traditions, the Centre has played a salutary role in preserving the country’s heritage and passing it on from one generation to the next. We are fully confident that the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre will be able to achieve our goals for the Expo 2020, promote this international event effectively and highlight the heritage of our beloved nation in a befitting and honourable way.”

His Excellency Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmouk, CEO of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, said “We look forward to working together with the Higher Organising Committee for Expo 2020 and establish the heritage concepts of the UAE to create a unique experience for all visitors. 

Up to 25 million people are expected to visit the Expo, of which 70 per cent are expected to be from overseas. 

“The exhibition provides our country an opportunity to show the world its capability for innovation by staging a world-class event that combines state-of-the-art technology with a proud display of our cultural heritage and traditions.”

Expo 2020 will be held in Dubai from 20 October to 10 April 2021 under the slogan “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. With three thematic concepts of “Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity”, the exhibition seeks to nurture new partnerships for future growth and sustainability.

The event coincides with the UAE’s 50th National Day and as Dubai is taking the opportunity to celebrate and promote the host nation.

“We have been able to make huge progress in several areas, foremost among which is building a pool of globally competitive Emirati individuals, consolidating citizens’ sense of belonging to their homeland and strengthening the national identity among the youth, and generally deepening patriotic fervour among people all around the UAE,” said Bin Dalmouk.

Expo 2020 will be the first to be held in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region.

Jerome Champagne has publicly attacked speculation that the emergence of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein as a third candidate for the presidency of FIFA has cast him as the outsider. 

Asked by UK national sports channel BBC Radio 5 Live if he would withdraw in the light of Prince Ali stepping forwards as a candidate, Champagne said "Of course not, I'm the only candidate to present a detailed programme."

Throwing down the gauntlet to Prince Ali, Champagne said "We need to know what is his programme, beyond thundering slogans without any concrete explanations.

"I've been a candidate for a year now, I've a concrete platform, I've exposed everything, it's a question for him: Why is he running? Who has pushed him? What is his ambition?”

Champagne’s reference to being “pushed” could be a reference to Prince Ali’s remark that his decision to stand was the result of discussions with “respected FIFA colleagues”.

Prince Ali only announced his intention on Monday, with a statement that his campaign would be positive, based around steering FIFA away from the administrative controversies that have dogged it for recent years. 

The interview demonstrated that Champagne clearly does not plan to run a positive campaign. 

“Last year he lost the election in Asia, so if you don't have a base in your own region and own continent how can you be expected to be elected at the world level?"

It remains to be seen whether such antagonistic remarks will prompt Ali to adopt a more negative stance and directly address the causes of the controversy of which he speaks – a tactic that could well be divisive within FIFA’s membership, where support for the incumbent president Sepp Blatter is said to remain strong. 

HOST CITY asked for a comment on the leadership race from a FIFA spokesperson, who stated that they would welcome applications from nominated candidates until the 29th January. 

Champagne, recognising that this is a public media campaign as much as internal FIFA election, has also spoken to Sky, saying "We want a fair democratic debate so we need more than one candidate and I hope more candidates will surface.

"I have always been an advocate of a pyramid in football that should be based on democratic principles with more than one candidate."

President Sepp Blatter has also welcomed the fact that other candidates are joining the bid for presidency, saying that it is in line with FIFA's spirit of democracy and discussion.

In an interview with Swiss newspaper Le Matin, Blatter said of Prince Ali stepping forward: "I can only rejoice in this nomination. We are a democracy, and this can only be beneficial for debate.

"And do not they say that win without peril is to triumph without glory?"

The two candidate cities for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games submitted their candidature files to the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne on Tuesday. 

Both candidates, Almaty and Beijing, highlighted how they amended their bids to take into account the Agenda 2020 reforms approved by the IOC in December, with IOC president Thomas Bach confirming the IOC will work with the candidates to apply the reforms.

 “Working with the two Candidate Cities, we will apply the first reforms which have been approved by the IOC members very recently in Monaco as part of our Olympic Agenda 2020 roadmap,” said IOC president Bach on Tuesday,

“This will be done through ongoing consultation with the Candidate Cities.”

Developed over the course of 2014, when several European cities pulled out of bidding for the 2022 Winter Games, Agenda 2020 introduces a number of changes to make bidding for and hosting the Games more sustainable, affordable and beneficial for cities. 

Almaty and Beijing have retrospectively adjusted their bids to incorporate some of the IOC’s recommendations and reforms.

“Many recommendations of Agenda 2020 were taken into consideration while developing the concept of the 2022 Winter Games,” said Mrs Zauresh Amanzholova, vice mayor of Almaty City.

“We believe our bid is a perfect fit with this new philosophy and brings essential benefits to the Almaty and Kazakhstani people. 

“Almaty 2022 can be a catalyst for social, economic and sports growth in the region where winter sports facilities are badly needed.”

Janez Kocijančič, vice president of the International Ski Federation was in Monaco for the approval of Agenda 2020. He told HOST CITY “Almaty plan to build their winter sport capacity,” but could not reveal details of the scope or potential cost of the work.

Agenda 2020 promotes the use of existing and temporary infrastructure to reduce infrastructure costs for bidding cities. While both bids require significant infrastructure development, Almaty would need to invest more than Beijing, which incorporates the more developed resort of nearby Zhangjiakou into its candidature.

“Our Candidature File embodies the requirements of the IOC and the philosophy of Olympic Agenda 2020,” said Mr Wang Anshun, president of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee and mayor of Beijing.

“The important concept of running athlete-centred, economical and sustainable Games will be represented well in our bid and actual organisation of the Games in 2022.”

The successful candidate will receive an estimated US$880m contribution from the IOC, derived from marketing and broadcasting revenues as well as “assistance provided to the Organising Committee by the IOC and related entities”.

For the first time, the Host City Contract will be made public, as recommended by Agenda 2020. The host city will also be bound to the new principle of non-discrimination on sexual orientation.

Kocijančič also made comments to HOST CITY that could be interpreted to support the view that Beijing represents the richest potential for the development of winter sports in Asia. 

“Europe is where skiing and most winter sports were born and have their home, but regarding the development of the sport it would be very wise to go east. 

“Because there are tremendous changes in the modern world – the countries are changing, the social structure, there are more and more people who can afford skiing.”

Asked which country represents the biggest market, he said “Everybody knows China is China… and Kazakhstan is Kazakhstan.”

René Fasel, IOC member and president of the International Ice Hockey Federation went further still, breaking IOC rules by telling local press during a junior championship event in Toronto, "This is a fact, China is a favourite."

Anything can happen in a bid campaign however and the coming months will be critical for both candidates. 

The evaluation commission will inspect Almaty’s sites from 14 to 18 February and Beijing’s from 24 to 28 March and publish their report on www.olympic.org before the briefing for IOC members that will take place from 9 to 10 2015. 

The appointment of Russian IOC member Alexander Zhukov as chair of the evaluation commission is interesting, as his country neighbours and has strong ties with both China and Kazakhstan – potentially reducing the cost of the evaluation process without compromising objectivity. 

The host city for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games will be elected at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur following a final presentation by the cities to the full IOC membership on 31 July.

The IOC has informed candidate cities that they can make their candidature files public, and the candidates will inform HOST CITY if and when this happens.