IOC reforms Olympic host city race

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday adopted a host of reforms to streamline the troubled process of hosting and awarding the Olympic Games in a bid to avoid having “too many losers”.

IOC president Thomas Bach used that phrase in the run-up to the awarding of the 2024 Games, for which Paris won the right, with Los Angeles handed the 2028 Games at the same time.

IOC members’ meeting in Lausanne voted to delete the Olympic charter’s ruling that host cities are determined seven years before the event to offer a more flexible timetable. Future hosts will also not be limited to a sole location, instead relying if needs be on “multiple cities, regions and/or countries”, according to Australian John Coates, who heads up the working group behind the reforms.

Additionally, the IOC will ditch its current evaluation commission, replacing it with two dedicated Summer and Winter Olympic Commissions, comprising 10 and eight members respectively. Potential bid cities will also be asked to hold a referendum before launching their candidacy, with the IOC keen to avoid negative public feedback that have derailed numerous bids.