(ATR) The International Olympic Committee Evaluation Commission is in the midst of its in depth inspections of Paris and Los Angeles as the race to become the 2024 Olympic host city reaches the final turn.
The bidding contest that began in 2015 with five cities has dwindled to two with less than four months remaining until the IOC chooses the host city in Lima, Peru.
The IOC is left with a tough decision as both cities are equipped with rich Olympic histories, strong public support and well-planned bids.
The IOC Evaluation Commission first visited Los Angeles from May 10-12.
Rachel Axon of USA Today says the candidature received a "heap of praise" on LA’s readiness to host an Olympic Games.
Over the three day visit, LA showed off its plan to keep costs low by using mostly existing facilities and housing on the campus of UCLA and USC as well as venues such as the Staples Center and Memorial Coliseum.
Axon includes quotes from Chairman of the Evaluation Commission Patrick Baumann who says the LA visit was a "productive, relaxed and open, frank discussion with no surprises".
"It is clear that the mayor and the entire Los Angeles 2024 are determined to ensure that the Games will leave a great legacy for the city and this region."
Axon also quotes LA 2024 chairman Casey Wassreman who believesLA has "the strongest foundations of any bid in history".
Scott Reid of the Orange County Registeragrees that LA's biggest advantage is its existing venues.
"On a day when the Los Angeles 2024 bid was expected to flex the muscle of its wealth of existing world-class venues for the IOC evaluation commission, LA 2024 and city officials refused to cede any emotional ground to a Paris bid linked to the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Games," says Reid.
Though Los Angeles seems to have gathered a lot of support for the Games, some disagree.
Norman Chad of the Washington Post notes that with the continuous traffic and environmental issues including earthquakes and mudslides, Los Angeles may not be best suited to host the Games.
The commission continued on to Paris from May 14-16.
Jean-Julien Ezvan of Le Figaro Sport 24 details how Paris also left a good impression on the first day of the visit. Ezvan includes quotes from Baumann as well who says the city made an "exceptional and very detailed presentation".
RMC Sport explains other politicians including current and former France presidents Emmanuel Macron and Nicolas Sarkozy took the time to express their support and "100 percent commitment" to the Games during a dinner hosted by Paris mayor Anne Hildago on day one.
TheLeMondepublication states the Parisian candidature is "credible and balanced". LeMonde goes on to explain how Paris hosting the Games would be a "reasonable investment" due to the boost in jobs and tourism.
The IOC will vote on the host of the 2024 Games on Sep. 13 at its Session in Lima.
Written by Courtney Colquitt
Forgeneral comments or questions, click here.
25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about theOlympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribersonly.
Recent Articles
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
