(ATR) A government minister from South Africa’s Gauteng Province confirmed Wednesday that it would bid for the 2024 Games if the IOC revamped the bidding process to allow regional hosts.
Gauteng's sports minister Molebatsi Bopape told reporters at a briefing on the sidelines of the SportAccord IF Forum that the province would green-light a bid in February if the changes are approved by IOC members in Monaco.
Earlier Wednesday, Around the Rings learned that regional bidding for future Olympic Games has been discussed as part of the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.
"If the IOC is going to be looking to change the rules, they need to be accommodating Gauteng as the competitor for 2024," she said, calling it a "global city region" several times in the briefing.
Under Gauteng’s plan, Johannesburg and Pretoria would be among the host cities with sailing proposed for Natal, she said.
"Gauteng would be more than ready with the infrastructure," Bopape explained, noting the modern O.R. Tambo International Airport, hotels and eight "world-class" stadiums in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
"This new approach seems very interesting and not only for South Africa but other cities and regions in the world," she added.
If the IOC votes not to expand the Olympics to regional bids, Johannesburg might still be put forward as South Africa’s candidate city.
Bopape suggested the 38,000-capacity Johannesburg Stadium, currently a track and field venue, is earmarked as the Olympic Stadium in a possible Gauteng bid.
Asked about who would fund an Olympic bid, which is likely to cost over $50 million, she said a public-private partnership was feasible.
"Clearly the cost is going to be enormous and a big consideration," she added.
Bopape admitted that Gauteng Province has not allocated money for a bid, but the premier is scheduled to make an announcement on the region’s sports event strategy at the beginning of February.
If Durban is awarded the 2022 Commonwealth Games in September 2015, she admitted Gauteng’s 2024 Olympic aspirations would be scrapped.
South Africa’s Olympic Committee is aware of the Gauteng’s bid plan but has not yet backed any plans for a 2024 Olympic bid. Further scrutiny of any Gauteng bid would also be required by the national government, whose support is vital to the project moving forward.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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