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Majority Supports German 2024 Olympic Bid; Prefer Berlin

According to dpa, a majority of Germans support the country bidding for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, regardless of whether the bid city would be Hamburg or Berlin.

A YouGov survey for dpa Monday showed that 57 per cent of those asked were generally in favour of Germany hosting the Games, while 24 per cent were against.

The survey also revealed that 48 per cent think Berlin will be nominated when the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) makes its decision on the bid city in March, and 28 per cent think Hamburg will be the candidate.

Katarina Witt and Bernhard Schwank on their way to Lausanne with the Bid Book (Munich 2018)
Katarina Witt and Bernhard Schwank (left) on their way to Lausanne with the Munich 2018 Bid Book (Munich 2018)

Bernhard Schwank, who recently took over the bid committee for the 2024 Games at the DOSB said, “all the surveys we’ve done show a clear majority support Germany as the host for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and we’re glad.  Only 24 per cent of those we’ve surveyed are against it”.

Schwank was CEO for the failed Munich 2018 Winter Olympic bid that came second to PyeongChang.  Munich had intentions to bid again for the 2022 Games but a last-minute referendum had negative results that prevented an application being filed.

DOSB General Director Michael Vesper recently told GamesBids.com that he believed new IOC reforms would shift public opinion.

He said “it’s at least a new philosophy which is important for our public in Germany because it is more transparency, more flexibility, more sustainability, more human rights – all those subject that are discussed in the German public regarding the Olympic Games so I hope that it will be a movement towards better public opinion.”

“I hope that the Olympic Agenda will help us develop these opinions into more positive mood,” Vesper added.

The DOSB will announce in March 2015 whether they will press ahead with either Hamburg or Berlin.  Applications are due to the IOC September 15, 2015 and the host city will be decided by the International Olympic Committee at a meeting in Lima in 2017.

Should either city win, it will be the first Olympics in Germany since Munich 1972.  Berlin also hosted the Games in 1936.  Germany last bid for the Summer Games with Leipzig for 2012.

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