IOC looks to future Olympic Games co-hosting under Agenda 2020 reforms

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened up the prospect of future summer Olympic Games being staged in multiple countries, with President Thomas Bach revealing the 40 proposals that make up the IOC’s ‘Agenda 2020’.

Aimed at making hosting an Olympic Games more accessible, th reforms suggest that the IOC could allowsome events at summer Olympics to be held outside the host country.

Bach explained "under certain conditions, mainly for reasons of geography and sustainable development, it might be possible to organise some events in other cities other than the host city, or even in other countries.”

With just two contenders for the 2022 Winter Olympics, changes to the bidding process and cost of hosting the Olympics are seen as being an IOC priority, with potential host cities apparently having been put off by the expense and excessive IOC demands.

The new set of proposals have been designed to ease the financial burden of the event on host cities and to make the process less rigid.

Bach added “if a city says 'we don't have enough facilities for this sport, in this place, but there are some in a close city' why not? In the Winter Games it already exists.

“If two countries share a mountain, then why not share a bid?

"In the Summer Games, it is more about small neighbouring countries where distances are close.

"It is about giving smaller countries the opportunity to organise Games."

The plan which it is also hoped will help reduce bidding costs are among 40 recommendations which will be voted on at a meeting of IOC members in Monaco on 8th and 9th December.

Another recommendation is to cap the number of sports and athletes, while giving a new sport or discipline an invitation to participate in the Games every four years.

Bach continued “these 40 recommendations are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

"When you put them together, a picture emerges that shows the IOC safeguarding the uniqueness of the Olympic Games and strengthening sport in society.

"We still want to limit the number of Olympic events but within this framework, we want to give more flexibility to sports which want to become Olympic.

"The Olympic Games mustn't become bigger, but more diverse."

The recommendation on reducing costs for bidding also includes cutting the number of presentations that are allowed by bidding cities and "providing a significant financial contribution from the IOC".

The IOC also want to have an ‘invitation phase’ for bidding during which cities will be "advised about the opportunities this new procedure offers".

The recommendations were announced to a round table of athletes, many of whom contributed to the 'Olympic Agenda 2020' process.

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