Istanbul has announced it will join the overcrowded Olympic race and will bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. It’s the fourth time Turkey will attempt to host the Summer Olympics. The city failed in its bids for 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Mehmet Ali Sahin, Turkey’s minister in charge of sports, told the Anatolia news agency Friday “we will be a candidate for the 2012 Olympic Games”.
Yalcin Aksoy, who directed previous bids, told the Associated Press the country’s Olympic committee will probably make the bid official June 6.
Istanbul is joining an already overcrowded race. Other cities that are bidding for the 2012 Games include New York, London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Leipzig, Havana and either Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. Toronto may bid if Vancouver loses its 2010 bid for the Winter Olympic Games.
