All 2016 Applicant Cities Return Responses

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that all seven cities applying to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games have returned their Application Files, which contain their responses to the IOC Candidature Acceptance Procedure questionnaire. 15 Jan 2008 By IPC

Chicago (USA), Prague (Czech Republic), Tokyo (Japan), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Baku (Azerbaijan), Doha (Qatar) and Madrid (Spain)* had until midnight on 14 January to submit their files to the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Application File, which marks the first phase in the procedure leading to the election of the host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016, should, through the responses to the 25 questions asked and guarantees requested, provide the IOC with an overview of each Applicant City's project.

The responses will now be studied by a working group and by the IOC Executive Board, which will select the cities that will become Candidate Cities and therefore move on to Phase 2.

During the Candidature Procedure, Candidate Cities will be requested to submit their Candidature Files, an more detailed description of their project, and will be subject to a technical assessment made by a visiting team, the IOC Evaluation Commission. The IOC Evaluation Commission’s appraisal will be published in a report, and sent to IOC members no later than one month before they cast their vote in October 2009. The report will also be available for public consumption.

The bid requirements for the cities include Paralympic Games related elements, which are part of the evaluation process. During the whole process, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) supports the IOC with its expertise, provides comments on Paralympic Games specific information and will also be involved with a representative in the IOC Evaluation Commission. Furthermore, the questionnaire for selected Candidate Cities includes detailed Paralympic specific questions in the areas of Marketing, Finance, Paralympic Village and Sport as well as one Paralympic specific chapter.

The cities selected as Candidates will take part in an Observer Programme at the Beijing 2008 Games this summer.

Timeline:

14 January 2008 - Applicant Cities have to reply to IOC questionnaire

June 2008 - Acceptance of Candidate Cities by the IOC Executive Board

June 2008 - Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire made available to Candidate Cities

August 2008 - Candidate Cities participate in the IOC Observer Programme during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

12 February 2009 - Candidature file to be submitted to the IOC

May – June 2009 - IOC Evaluation Commission visits Candidate Cities

2 September 2009 - Publication of the IOC Evaluation Commission Report

2 October 2009 - Election of the 2016 Host City in Copenhagen

Further information on the Candidature Acceptance Procedure can be found at www.olympic.org.

* The cities are listed in alphabetical order until such time as the official drawing of lots is carried out by the IOC Executive Board. The order of drawing of lots will then be used until the election of the 2016 Host City.