Applicant Cities for 2016 Games Announced

The seven Applicant Cities will now proceed to the first phase of the IOC’s two-step procedure, which will lead to the election of the 2016 Host City in Copenhagen in October 2009.

The Candidature Acceptance Procedure (Phase 1) involves a preliminary review of each city’s potential to organize successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016. Cities are required to answer a questionnaire and their answers are studied by the IOC. At the end of this first phase, the IOC Executive Board selects the cities that will become Candidate Cities and therefore move on to Phase 2.

During this phase, 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 on 2 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.

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 will be 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.