Quebec – Based on a questionnaire, videoconference and other information that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gathered in order to score each bid – Tokyo placed marginally ahead of Madrid and seemed to win the day as they were selected to the 2020 Olympic bid shortlist.
Tokyo and Madrid both had eight top scores (in 14 categories, ties factored in) – but Tokyo had four second place tallies as opposed to Madrid who came third more often.
If you’re one to follow the scoring of these things (and the IOC suggests using these numbers with care because the categories are not weighted by importance), its gets more interesting.
Doha, with three-firsts and three-seconds scored better than Istanbul with only two-firsts and seven-thirds. If that sounds familiar – it is.
In the 2016 bid, Doha also came third in the scoring, ahead of eventual winner Rio de Janeiro – but was excluded because it chose Games dates that the IOC didn’t approve of.
Fast-forward to the 2020 bid and Doha comes third, ahead of Istanbul but gets rejected once again because of an incompatible calendar. If anything – this is a good omen for Istanbul who was added to the short list.
Baku had 11 last-place scores, and didn’t place any better than third (tied Madrid in public and government support).
Other notable scores were Tokyo’s single last place score in government and public support, and Madrid’s worst score – a fourth place tally for finance and marketing. Doha’s had a single last place score in the environment and meteorology category while Istanbul had five-fourth place scores but nothing worse.
Now the race restarts for three of the bidders with new bid books due January 7, 2013 and a new evaluation report next July.
