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3 cities complete bids for 2014 Olympics
2007-01-08
The three cities hoping to host the 2014 Winter Games completed their final bids, which will be handed over to the International Olympic Committee by Wednesday's deadline. The candidates are Pyeongchang, South Korea; Salzburg, Austria; and Sochi, Russia. The IOC will select the host city July 4 in Guatemala City. Sochi submitted its bid Monday, with Pyeongchang expected to follow Tuesday. Salzburg's bid will be submitted Wednesday. The next step for the three cities is a visit from the IOC's evaluation commission. In 2003, Pyeongchang came within two votes of upsetting Vancouver in the vote for the 2010 Games. Salzburg finished third. Austria last had the Winter Games in 1976 when Innsbruck hosted its second Olympics in a dozen years. Pyeongchang wants to become the third Asian city to hold the Winter Games since 1972 when Sapporo, Japan, staged it. Nagano was the host in 1998. Russia has never staged the Winter Games. The Salzburg bid document was given to Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Salzburg Governor Gabi Burgstaller and Salzburg 2014 chief executive edor Radmann on Sunday during the last event of the prestigious Four Hills ski jumping competition. "The delivery of the bid book is a very important step on the way to Guatemala," Radmann said. "We hope that the facts and plans of the document will convince the IOC members of the strength of the Salzburg bid." Sochi, a Black Sea resort, is bidding for the first time. "The bid process is like an ice hockey match, and the submission of our candidature file marks the end of the first third," Sochi CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko said. "We still have two thirds of the match to go and we will require the same dedication, passion, and hard work to make our dreams a reality." Pyeongchang's bid consists of three volumes covering 17 themes and 234 sections in English and French. "The whole nation of South Korea is committed to earning the honor and privilege of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and to leaving a lasting Olympic legacy for the people of Asia and beyond," Gangwon Province Gov. Kim Jin-sun said.
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