Munich or Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr: German Olympic bidder to be elected
Germany's next Olympic candidate will be chosen on Saturday between Munich and a Cologne-led bid by the Rhine-Ruhr region. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) assembly will elect the city at the end of a process which gained late new momentum when the nation's capital of Berlin withdrew on Thursday.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) will choose Munich or Cologne/Rhine-Ruhr as the city to bid for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Olympic Games on September 26. The decision comes after Berlin withdrew from consideration earlier this week. Munich is believed to have the slight advantage among the delegates, but North Rhine-Westphalia's lobbying efforts could still secure a victory for the Rhine-Ruhr region.
Sports State Minister Ronald Rauhe stressed the responsibility of the vote, stating, "We have an international task to fulfill and must enter the race with the city or region that gives Germany the greatest chances internationally." Munich is leveraging its Olympic legacy of 1972, the football powerhouse Bayern Munich, and the Oktoberfest festival.
The Rhine-Ruhr region, on the other hand, boasts the potential to sell up to 17.6 million tickets, making it the most attended Games in history, according to the North Rhine-Westphalia prime minister.
The DOSB evaluation report also gave the Rhine-Ruhr project an edge over Munich, citing its ability to host events in both East and West Germany. Both candidates have public support, with Munich securing a two-thirds majority in a public consultation and the Rhine-Ruhr region winning a referendum almost entirely. The final decision will be made by the 42 Olympic national governing bodies, each casting three votes.
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