(ATR) Delegates from each of the four cities vying to host the 2024 Summer Olympics are in Algeria today to meet and greet with African sport leaders at the Africa International Sports Convention (CISA).
Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome all sent a delegation to the conference to begin making connections with the leaders of sport in Africa, but are carefully observing the new rules under Olympic Agenda 2020 that prohibit the international promotion of the bids. Instead, each city is on hand to offer advice on Africa’s potential to host major international competitions in the future.
Budapest 2024 is represented by the IOC member from Hungary Pal Schmitt. Schmitt tells Around the Rings Africa could host the Olympics if the IOC were willing to offer up more money. He says the IOC gave Rio de Janeiro $1.5 billion for help with Olympic preparations.
"The IOC could give $2 billion to an African city that wants to bid, Agenda 2020 makes it possible," he tells ATR. "There should be a human sized games, the Olympics doesn’t have to go to mega-cities. I recommend strongly all NOCs create their own Agenda 2020."
Algerian Olympic Committee president Mustapha Berraf tells ATR a bid for a major event such as the Olympics could likely come from a coalition of countries as opposed to a single host country.
"There is an idea of bidding for the Youth Olympic Games with the Maghreb" Berraf tells ATR, referring to the collection of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya. "We can do it as the Maghreb, as brother countries. This is an opportunity that needs to be planned."
Los Angeles has the largest delegation of the bid cities at the event with a four-person team including IOC member Anita DeFrantz, Los Angeles 2024 vice chair Janet Evans, chief marketing officer Terrence Burns and USOC director of international strategy Dragomir Cioroslan.
"It's an honor to participate in this important convention about the development of sport in Africa and the positive effects of sport in African society and economies," says DeFrantz. "The US Olympic Committee and many African national Olympic committees share a special relationship in sport underpinned by a common desire to help each other drive sustainable positive legacies."
Etienne Thobois leads the Paris 2024 delegation at CISA as the bid’s chief executive officer.
ATR is told the Rome 2024 delegation is led by international relations manager Simone Perillo and the Italian Olympic Committee delegate for Africa Elio Locatelli.
Locatelli participated in the panel discussion along with ATR's own Ed Hula III on the implementation of Agenda 2020 and its impacts on African sport. Locatelli says Africa "deserves" to host the athletics world championships and it could provide the experience needed to host more events.
The 2016 edition of the convention taking place in Algiers marks the 10th anniversary of the event. Last year’s convention was held in Rwanda. The convention comes to a close on April 3.
Written by Kevin Nutley
Homepage photo: Getty Images
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