IOC Announces Evaluation Commission For 2018 Winter Games

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Monday the 11-member Evaluation Commission for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Swedish IOC member Gunilla Lindberg will chair the commission that has representatives of the Olympic Movement and a number of advisors from Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and Canada.

Lindberg has been a member of the IOC Executive Board from 2000 to 2004 and IOC Vice President from 2004 to 2008, and a member of five Coordination Commissions for the Olympic Games. She has worked with the Evaluation Commission for the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

The 2018 Evaluation Commission will analyze the candidature files before making on-site inspections of the three bid cities, Munich, Annecy and PyeongChang, between February 8 and March 5, 2011. The Commission will issue its report for IOC members ahead of the host city election July 6, 2011 during the 122nd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, "the Evaluation Commission will be well-served by the appointment of Gunilla Lindberg as its Chair. Ms Lindberg has extensive knowledge of what it takes to host an Olympic Games, in particular a Winter Games, and possesses all the skills necessary to lead our team of experts and make the best possible analyses of the three Candidate Cities".

Lindberg said, "it is a great honour for me to have been chosen to head such an important commission within the IOC. I very much look forward to working with my highly qualified colleagues in evaluating the bids from three excellent Candidate Cities".

Representatives from the three bid cities will give presentations to all the IOC members during a technical meeting scheduled for next May in Lausanne and the Evaluation Commission's report will coincide with that meeting.

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