SAfrica repeats intention to bid for Olympics Golf Tips

SAfrica repeats intention to bid for Olympics

May 2, 2011, 9:21 pm

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The president of South Africas Olympic committee repeated his countrys intention Wednesday to bid for a Summer Games, saying the upcoming IOC session is a chance to impress.

Gideon Sam said the International Olympic Committee meeting July 4-9 in Durban was “another opportunity to show world leaders in sport what we can put together in this country.”

South Africa intends to bid to host the Olympics, but Sam stopped short of saying it would be the next available Summer Games in 2020.

“With our intention to one day bid for the Olympics, this session will give us another opportunity to put our best forward to impress the world leaders in sport,” said Sam as organizers launched the logo and a dedicated website for the 123rd IOC session. “This is a first for the continent of Africa.”

South Africa earned widespread praise for hosting the 2010 World Cup.

SASCOC announced last year it would back Durban as its candidate for an Olympic bid in 2020. It pulled back after officials from other cities said they werent properly consulted.

SASCOC is likely to wait until after the IOC session in July to formally announce any Olympic intentions.

The IOC has given national Olympic committees until Sept. 1 to put forward their candidates for the 2020 Games, with Rome the only city so far to formally announce it will run. Tokyo, Madrid, Istanbul, Doha and Dubai are among other potential bidders, with the winner to be announced in 2013.

Durban, South Africas third largest city and a World Cup venue, will make history as the first African city to hold an IOC session. The host for the 2018 Winter Olympics will be chosen in Durban by secret ballot on July 6.

Munich, Annecy in France and Pyeongchang, South Korea, are the contenders for the 2018 Winter Games.

Golf Tips