GamesBids.com: 2016 Bid Cities Want Some Clout In Copenhagen

2016 Bid Cities Want Some Clout In Copenhagen
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GB Staff on Thursday, June 18, 2009  11:12am EDT
 
The four cities bidding to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games - Tokyo, Rio,
Chicago and Madrid - want a little help when they go to Copenhagen in October
when the 2016 host city will be elected.
Tokyo 2016 hopes Crown prince Naruhito and Crown princess Masako will accompany
bid officials. Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara told reporters Thursday, "I have
asked our Prime Minister to make the official request so they can be coming to
Copenhagen. The Japanese emperor, because of his health and age, it would be
rather difficult for me to ask him to come to Copenhagen".
Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia, as well as Prime Minister Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero will accompany Madrid 2016 officials.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to be in Copenhagen
on behalf of Rio 2016.
It's unclear whether U.S. President Barack Obama will be in Copenhagen to
support Chicago 2016.
In the past, heads of state have reportedly influenced International Olympic
Committee (IOC) votes for the Olympic Games. Russian President Vladimir Putin
was there when Sochi won the 2014 Winter Games bid in 2007 and British Prime
Minister Tony Blair met with dozens of IOC members ahead of London's successful
bid for the 2012 Summer Games.
Reuters reports the IOC has said it will try to contain the activities of the
heads of state in Copenhagen so as not to upstage the event itself.