Azerbaijan Olympic Committee Confirm Bid for 2020 Olympics

September 1, 2011

Azerbaijan’s National Olympic Committee has suggested it has submitted a surprise bid to host the 2020 Olympics in its capital, Baku after it initially denied they would.

Today (September 1) marks the deadline to submit a bid to the International Olympic Committee. Madrid, Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul and Doha, Qatar, are all expected to have submitted a bid. The IOC will announce the list on Friday.

Committee spokeswoman Konul Nurulleyeva says Thursday the experience gained in the city’s failed bid for the 2016 Games would help it to mount an improved challenge.

Nurulleyeva suggested Baku’s application was filed two weeks ago, only days after Azerbaijan’s sporting authorities denied they would bid for the games.

The spokeswoman continued to say that there is already a Stadium being built specifically for the Olympics on the outskirts of Baku and will be completed during next year.