German Olympic Committee names Munich as bid city choice

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) on Saturday announced it chose Munich as Germany‘s entry to bid for at least the next three Olympic Summer Games.

Ahead of the vote, former Olympic champion and new Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe said: “We have an international task to fulfill and must enter the race with the city or region that gives Germany the greatest chances internationally. The decision on that is made by sport, and I assume that it will make it with a great deal of responsibility.”

Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the Olympic bid represented a huge opportunity for all of Germany to “show that we are a land of opportunity.”

According to the Munich bid, all competitions would take place in Bavaria, except for the football matches which would be played in Stuttgart and the sailing competitions in the northern city of Kiel.

Berlin bowing out created two-horse race

Munich and a Cologne-led bid by the Rhine-Ruhr region were the only two in contention.

As many as 17.6 million tickets could be sold for the Games in Cologne-Rhine-Ruhr, more than ever before at a Games, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia said recently. 

Munich was campaigning after two failed bids for the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games and having previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Up until Thursday, Berlin had been among the cities in contention, but the city’s mayor announced that the city would withdraw from the race.

The withdrawal comes after the socialist Left Party’s victory in the German capital’s elections last weekend. The party’s lead candidate and potential mayor, Elif Eralp, said she did not support Berlin’s bid.

Sports minister has sights set on 2040

On Friday, Sports Minister Ronald Rauhe said he would welcome a German Olympic bid for the 2040 Games, with it coinciding with an important historical milestone.

“2040 will mark the 50th anniversary of reunification. Here we could send a great signal that also aligns with the values of the Olympic Games,” Rauhe told German news agency dpa ahead of the deciding vote on Saturday.

“Based on my personal history, 2040 would be my favorite date. That has to do with the fact that I’m a Berlin child. As a schoolchild, I experienced what happens to people when a wall falls, when people grow together again, when two population groups that had been separated become a community again,” Rauhe said. 

“Ultimately, though, one thing matters above all: bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games back to our country. No matter when,” Rauhe said. 

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Edited by: Sean Sinico, Wesley Dockery