AFP reports that according to a private International Olympic Committee (IOC) Poll on public support for the five cities bidding for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, New York had only 59 per cent of support from New Yorkers, although its bid book presented to the IOC showed public support at between 64 and 79 per cent.
The poll results were delivered to New York 2012 officials last week when the IOC Evaluation Commission visited the city to assess its bid.
Daniel Doctoroff, head of New York 2012 and the city’s deputy mayor, blamed the findings of the poll on the ongoing row over the site of the Olympic stadium. He told AFP they were not worried about it.
Doctoroff said, “the controversy over the stadium has depressed the figures. The most recent poll carried out last week by the New York Times showed 67 per cent support.”
Support for London’s 2012 bid was also lower from the 73 per cent the city has claimed. When the IOC commission visited London it announced to bid leaders that the IOC poll showed only 68 per cent support from Londoners.
Meanwhile Madrid’s support was up from its claim of 89 per cent. The IOC poll showed that 91 per cent of the city favoured having the Games.
IOC sources have told AFP that Paris has more support than the city originally claimed. The IOC poll confirms 85 per cent support, eight points higher than the Paris 2012 poll had shown.
And according to sources, AFP revealed that the IOC poll will show that Moscow has only 77 per cent support within the city and 76 per cent across the country. Moscow has stated that 90 per cent support the bid within the city and the bid has 89 per cent support nation wide.
AFP also reports that according to one senior IOC member the polls gave an indication of who really wanted the Games. He said, “if a city does not want us we will not go there. We do not force ourselves on people”.
Regardless of what the polls show IOC members insist the decision is too close to call. One member said, “between now and July anything can happen. One slip or mistake and the whole picture will change”.
And what about the controversy over New York 2012’s proposed Olympic Stadium? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to be flip-flopping. At one point on Tuesday he said that anyone who opposes the West Side stadium opposes the city’s bid for the Games. He told a news conference, “if you’re against the stadium, you’re against the Olympics”.
According to the New York Daily News earlier in the day at a breakfast forum the Mayor said the IOC evaluation commission left little doubt last week about where the IOC stands. “Their message was clear: no sports and convention centre on the West Side, no Olympics. End of story. You can’t have it both ways. If you’re opposed to one, you’re opposed to the other”.
But the New York Post reports that on Tuesday the Mayor said for the first time that he would “consider” the possibility of an Olympic Stadium in Queens instead of on Manhattan’s West Side.
The Mayor reportedly said, “we will consider it”. But he immediately made it clear he didn’t think the IOC would go for a late change in stadium plans, explaining, “you put in a bid, you have to follow the rules and deliver what was promised”.
He added, “they want the venue in Manhattan because around the world they think of Manhattan and its access to media and its access to transportation as something very attractive to them”.
