2020 bid chase: Last chance to impress Olympic bosses for Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid

Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid are set to deliver their presentations to members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week in Lausanne, Switzerland in their bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

In the quest to being elected Host City to the Olympic Games, there are no medals for second or third place. The winner takes all, which includes the good, the bad and the ugly that invariably comes with the monumental responsibility of organizing the world's biggest sporting event.

The competition has come down to three distinctly unique candidates: Istanbul (Turkey), Tokyo (Japan) and Madrid (Spain). The presentation event in Lausanne (July 3-4) is a technical briefing that gives each city an opportunity to promote themselves in the run-up to the IOC Session, scheduled for September in Buenos Aires, when the 2020 winning candidate will be announced.

The Evaluation Commission already spent four days in each Candidate City earlier this year where they conducted on-site inspections and an assessment of the cities’ Olympic Games projects. At this week’s meeting, however, IOC representatives will not only be able to watch promotional videos from all three candidate cities, but also pose questions directly to the finalists in order to reach their conclusions.

Meanwhile, an IOC report released last week indicated there was no clear favorite at this stage in the game. Each city has attractive features to offer visitors to the 2020 Games, as well as a few drawbacks.

Istanbul

According to the document details, Istanbul’s plan is to deliver the 2020 Summer Games to a “vibrant, modern and culturally diverse city, with an 8,000 year history that spans Europe and Asia under the bid motto of ‘Bridge Together.’” Turkey believes that, if elected, it will be in the position “to foster global understanding and inclusiveness by being the first secular Muslim country to host the Games.”

Istanbul says that hosting the Games would be an opportunity to improve the city’s transport infrastructure. An important feature of its proposal, which would serve as a legacy of the Games long after they are finished, is the redevelopment of the industrial port on the Asian side of the city.

Meanwhile, with about 42 percent of the Turkish population under the age of 25, much focus is placed on Turkey’s youth.

“As sport and physical education are already compulsory across all school grades, and with an excellent existing NOC Olympic education program, the ‘National Sports Plan’ would complement the existing curriculum with new classroom and online program across Turkey,” it said.

The IOC report called Turkey’s plans for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies “both innovative and ambitious.”

The ceremonies would be held in a new 20,000 seat entertainment venue (with temporary expansion to 70,000 at Games-time), while, taking advantage of Istanbul’s scenic waterfront, the report refers to another 500,000 spectators being able to “enjoy elements of the ceremonies along the shores of the Bosporus.”

“Istanbul’s rich history, diverse culture, love of sport and celebration, and popularity as a tourist destination, would certainly be very positive factors in promoting the Games,” the IOC report summarized.

The report was drafted before the start of protests against the government of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. The nationwide demonstrations, which became violent at times, started at the end of May when police used force against groups opposed to plans to build a shopping mall on a central Istanbul green zone.

The IOC’s public opinion poll shows that 83 per cent support of Istanbul’s citizens and 76 per cent in the rest of Turkey support the idea of hosting the 2002 Games.

Tokyo

Under the motto of “Discover Tomorrow,” the Japanese capital is promoting itself as a “modern, dynamic city that sets global trends and, at the same time, has a strong respect for its history and culture,” the report stated.

In accordance with its proposed “compact Games concept,” the majority of sporting venues would be located in the heart of Tokyo with the Olympic Village at the intersection of two Games zones: The Heritage Zone, which “embodies the legacies of the 1964 Olympic Games and would include the Olympic Stadium and IOC hotels,” in addition to the Tokyo Bay Zone, which would be developed as a region “respecting water, green living and biodiversity.”

Tokyo, which failed in its candidature for the 2016 Olympics, has already accumulated a $4.5 billion reserve fund for the Games, a “major asset in its bid,” the IOC noted

"Despite a significant construction program, the Commission is confident that work could be completed on time and that Tokyo has the necessary financial strength to do so through the TMG's "Hosting Reserve Fund" of $4.5 billion, earmarked for venue construction," it said.

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies would be held in a newly constructed, 80,000-seat stadium to be built “irrespective of the Games” on the site of the 1964 Olympic Games stadium. The theme of the ceremony celebrations would combine Japan’s “modern and traditional culture.”

There is just one problem, however, confronting Tokyo in its bid to host the 2020 Summer Games: the public is not completely supportive of the idea.

Just 70 per cent of Tokyo and 67 per cent in the rest of the country resident want the Olympics to come to Japan’s capital city in seven years’ time.  

One possible reason for the lack of support involves the amount of green space required to host such an event.

For example, Tokyo’s plan calls for the canoe slalom competitions to be held at the Kasai Rinkai Park, which is situated in a popular public park and near an important bird sanctuary.

“Tokyo 2020 is aware of the sensitivities,” the report said. “Discussions regarding the development of the venue have been held with concerned citizens and, in the event that Tokyo is awarded the Games, a more detailed environmental impact assessment would be conducted.”

Madrid

By hosting the 2020 Games, Madrid aims to promote “social integration through sport,” as well as to share Spain’s “passion for sport” with the rest of the global community under the motto “Illuminate the Future.”

Similar to Tokyo’s plan, Madrid is proposing a “very compact Games concept” with all sporting venues to be located in Madrid (with the exception of sailing and football preliminaries). Most of the competition venues would be situated within two large zones: The “Campo de las Naciones” Zone in the east of the city, which would also include the Olympic Village, together with the Manzanares Zone, which extends along the Manzanares River in the west of the city.

The overall venue plan would constitute an environmental restoration program being “implemented by the city for use as parkland, sport and recreation,” the report revealed.

Given the proximity of the venues and Madrid’s modern transport infrastructure, visitors should enjoy short travel times.

In its third straight attempt to host the Games, the IOC said Spain's current economic recession presented no foreseeable risk to the Games should the city be chosen.

"The Commission believes that the degree of financial risk facing Madrid 2020 should be manageable over seven years within the overall Spanish economy and taking into account government guarantees. All required financial guarantees were provided," it said.

The poll shows that the majority of Spaniards favor the games, with the bid receiving support of 76 percent in Madrid and 81 percent in the rest of the country.

IOC public opinion poll shows the following levels of support for hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games: 76 percent support in Madrid and 81 percent in the rest of Spain.

Big bucks

One question that immediately comes up during the Host City election process concerns the issue of money: How will the elected city pay for the exorbitant cost associated with the largest international event?

According to the IOC report, the candidate cities were requested to present budgets both in US dollars and local currency in both 2012 and 2020 values. For “budgeting purposes,” the IOC advised the nominees to “include figures of $790 million dollars for the ‘IOC contribution’ and $335 million for the IOC TOP program contribution.”

The TOP Program is made up of ten global corporations - Coca-Cola, Atos, Dow, General Electric, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Proctor & Gamble, Samsung and Visa – which profit handsomely from the Games.