Jim Scherr, CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), believes the United States has a much better chance of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games than it did for 2012.
According to the Associated Press Scherr said he felt the issue with the stadium played a role in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to bypass New York’s bid.
He said, “I’m sure it created a little bit of lack of confidence as to whether there might be more changes down the road if New York were selected. But there were so many factors that you can’t just say it was one thing”.
He also thinks that New York was an underdog in the race for the 2012 Games, not only because the bids from London and Paris were strong, but also because of the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games scandal as well as the United States unpopularity politically around the world.
Scherr also said the USOC will strongly support softball in its attempt to be re-included on the Olympic program, but said baseball has to clean up its drug-testing issues, among others, before it receives the same backing.
With New York undecided about bidding for the 2016 Games Scherr said the USOC wants an open process in its selection of a 2016 Summer Games candidate. The USOC board will begin developing timelines and parameters for the bid process at its meeting in September.
Scherr told the Associated Press that he believes a U.S. city stands a good chance of landing the 2016 Games, because Paris said it wasn’t bidding for 2016, and Asia and Europe being represented in the Olympic rotation between now and then. He said, “it all plays into it to make it more favourable for a city from North America and the U.S. to be successful”.
Apparently IOC President Jacques Rogge’s thoughts aren’t the same as Scherr’s regarding Olympic rotation. In an interview with the Neuen Rhein/Ruhr Zeitung Saturday Rogge said he would welcome a German bid for the 2016 Olympics.
He told the publication “the IOC is always pleased to receive a bid from Germany. We have full confidence in Germany and the country’s ability to organize the events. It is also a great sporting nation and counts amongst the top five in the world”.
He added that although London will be hosting the Olympics in 2012 a renewed bid from Europe for the 2016 Games makes sense.
Germany has previously hosted the Berlin 1936 Games and the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
