Lausanne: Olympic Agenda 2020 has proposed to reduce candidature budgets by around 80 per cents, the International Olympic Committe (IOC) said on Friday.
This was a direct result of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) implementing recommendation 3 of Olympic Agenda 2020, which called for reducing the cost of candidatures by further assisting interested parties.
This information was presented to the IOC Session in the report of the IOC Olympic Games department.
“With Olympic Agenda 2020, we have a more flexible and collaborative approach to help interested parties align the Games with their long-term ambitions,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “This has made creating Olympic Games projects much more affordable and accessible, which was proven by the Candidature Process 2026 and the many expressions of interest we have received for future Olympic Games.”
The 2026 process was completely reformed to increase partnership, flexibility and sharing of knowledge. It featured a one-year non-committal Dialogue Stage, during which the IOC worked hand in hand with seven Interested Cities and National Olympic Committees.
Additional support was offered to help them develop Games projects that could best fit their local context as well as their needs and long-term development plans.
Technical services that candidates would have had to procure themselves to be able to design their projects in the past were provided at IOC cost and in partnership with its stakeholders. These included interactive working sessions and visits by experts to offer advice and assistance in areas such as Games concept, governance and operations, legal, marketing, finance, sustainability, and legacy.
In addition to a reduced number of deliverables and presentations, the additional investment from the IOC in services and support has paid off by reducing costs and creating projects that are better suited for the future of hosts and the Olympic Movement.
