On November 15, the three cities bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics presented to the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), with L.A. championing diversity, Budapest a move toward mid-sized host cities and Paris a “friendly” Games for incoming athletes.
The ANOC General Assembly took place in Doha, Qatar, with all three 2024 bid committees touting their themes and focuses as potential Olympic hosts. Los Angeles, Budapest and Paris the only three bid left in a process that has seen multiple potential hosts back out due to strong opposition from local governments or voters. Rome dropped out earlier this year, Hamburg’s citizens voted down the bid and Boston’s bid also collapsed, opening the door for L.A. to take the American bid.
A quick sum-up of the bid presentations from the General Assembly are below, per GamesBids.com.
Los Angeles
The L.A. bid addressed the recent presidential election in the United States, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to diversity and arguing that “America… needs the Games to help make our nation better – now more than ever.”
Track star Allyson Felix spoke on behalf of the bid, emphasizing America’s diversity as its greatest strength. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti characterized America as “outward-looking, ready to play its role alongside the community of nations to address our world’s most pressing challenges.” The Vice Chair of the bid committee is Olympic swimmer Janet Evans, who called LA “the right bid, at the right place, at the right time.”
In terms of specifics, GamesBids.com reports that L.A.’s bid is set to use many more existing structures than the other two. The bid argues that not needing to build a slew of new venues will allow the committee to help focus on “perfecting the athlete experience instead.” You can read more here.
Budapest
The Budapest bid centered on opening a new trend within the Olympics – giving bids to “mid-sized” cities instead of what are considered “mega-cities.”
“The Agenda 2020 reforms make it possible for a new generation of mid-sized cities to host the Games,” said Olympic bid chairman Balazs Furjes, “creating new possibilities for the Olympic Movement that will reinforce the IOC’s modern agenda.” While L.A. and Paris have each hosted the Olympics twice, a Budapest win would be the first Olympics in Hungary and in all of Central Europe, according to GamesBids.com.
“A Budapest Games would give hope to new nations and new cities, nations and cities on the rise. It would spread the reach of the Olympic Movement…(and create) new possibilities that will take forward the IOC’s new agenda,” Furjes said. The bid also emphasized Hungary’s economic growth and development, plus its recent history of quickly building new world class sporting facilities. The bid touted the new Budapest Aquatics Center, which is nearing completion in “record-breaking” time and is set to host the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in July. You can read more on the Budapest presentation here.
Paris
Paris’s bid committee emphasized the nation’s “friendliness” to athletes, coaches and officials, promising optimum conditions for all who attend.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo painted a picture of the proposed Paris Games: “Paris is a confident city, which is not afraid to invent the future. Our vision for 2024 is optimistic, inclusive, joyful – but also clear-sighted and determined. In Paris in 2024 we will swim in the River Seine. We will travel in driverless vehicles. We will celebrate the Games on the Champs Elysees, with the Eiffel Tower and all along the Seine from the Grand Palais to Saint Denis.”
Paris also played on L.A.’s proposal of using existing structures. The Paris bid built up the importance of building new permanent venues to “leave a real and lasting legacy” after the 2024 Olympics are done. Judo Olympic gold medalist Teddy Riner talked about Paris’s venue plan, which would have 85% of athletes within a half hour of their venues in Paris’s emphasis on athlete comfort. You can read more about the Paris bid presentation here.
The host will be officially selected next September by the IOC.
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