Exclusive Interview With Willy Bogner, Munich 2018 Olympic Winter Games Bid Chief (Part 2 of 2)

Willy Bogner, Head of Munich 2018 (Photo: Munich 2018)

On Friday, GamesBids.com published Part 1 of a 2 part interview with Willy Bogner, German Ski Olympian, Filmmaker and Head of the Munich 2018 Olympic bid.

Click this link to read part 1

The interview took place in Vancouver last month, during the 2010 Winter Games where Munich 2018 was participating in the Olympic observers' program.

Following is Part 2 (of 2) of GamesBids.com’s exclusive one-on-one interview with Bogner; a conversation with background on the Munich 2018 bid.

GB - "How is your public support?"

WB - All of the serious surveys that are really done by independent organizations - we have more than two-thirds of supporters, which is a dream, even at this early stage.  Obviously we really haven't started our campaign yet and we expect even to grow from there.  Because Germany is one of the most sports-loving places in the world, we have more than 20 million people registered in sports clubs - it's almost one-third of the country belonging to some clubs and then obviously you have a lot of people doing sports without belonging to clubs which is another third.  So you have a great interest in all of the population in sports, especially also winter sports.  So that's definitely a very strong asset.

GB - "Are you working on a domestic marketing campaign?"

WB - Well, obviously when our team comes home to Germany this will be a very good signal for all the media and everybody to bring the Olympic ideal to the forefront, and we will definitely push for our bid.

GB - "What are your other thoughts inspired by the Vancouver Games?"

WB – “I think it's really amazing how the organizers here are dealing with this complexity in great ways, so it can be done.  I think Munich has even a few more advantages in the point-of-view of historical buildings and so on.  There is a certain German Gemuetlichkeit - if you don't know the name it's a kind of a laid back, relaxed atmosphere that you find in Bavaria and that's really helpful for the Games - very friendly people, very open-minded - it's a good tourist destination.  We have great hotels and there is very good infrastructure so there is a lot to build on - so we're quite confident.

And then obviously German's are not necessarily known for their outgoing emotional openness; the world championships in soccer in 2006 really was so successful in the point-of-view of celebration of sports that we have a good example there that German's can have fun.  They're not only working - which is important also - they're working so that they can have fun.”

GB - "What are the advantages of a 'big city' Games?"

WB - We see it here, there's a city centre for the big number of media, athletes and everything that is necessary - and visitors and Olympic family and so on; the big number can be housed in a city where all the infrastructure is there with the hotels and everything.  And the mountains can have a smaller one - pretty much like you have here, in Whistler.

And I think we are even better in this because number one, our mountains are much closer; our roads are better going there; the terrain is easier so you can drive faster and we also have a train connection so it should be easier structurally - obviously that helps us.

- End -

On Monday, initial bid plans are due into the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for evaluation and the IOC will announce a shortlist based on their findings in June.