2018 WG Candidates Bid Ahead of IOC Vote

iSportconnect will be your LIVE guide as the 2018 Winter Games candidate cities of Munich, Annecy and PyeongChang make their final bid presentations at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban today, July 6, with votes to be cast later this afternoon to decide on which will host the event.

We will be updating the latest news and happenings from the session live on the site as well as through our Twitter account which can be followed at http://twitter.com/isportconnect.

After IOC president Jacques Rogge claimed yesterday, July 5, that the process was still very much a three horse race, long time perceived underdogs Annecy will be hoping to pull a surprise to overcome their competitors, between whom opinion is divided upon who is the favourite.

However, Annecy bid chief Charles Beigbeder insisted: “There is no big favourite or underdog. It’s a three-horse race. We are doing everything we can to win.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, Rogge said all three cities would be “outstanding” hosts of the event, adding: “After a thorough review of all technical aspects of the bids, including on-site visits, the IOC evaluation commission…has concluded that all three candidates – Munich, Annecy and PyeongChang – could successfully host the Games.”

PyeongChang of South Korea is bidding for a third successive time having been narrowly beaten in the last two tenders for the 2010 and 2014 Games, eventually won by Vancouver and Sochi respectively. If Munich were to be awarded the rights to host the Games, the German city would become the first to host both a Summer and Winter Olympics.

PyeongChang bid leader Cho Yang-ho spoke ahead of the bid presentations this morning: “After the last two Olympic bids we learned and listened to the IOC family and the members. The difference with this bid is seven out of the 13 venues are complete, which means we aren’t just showing people the drawing board. We are showing them physical venues.”

German IOC vice-president Thomas Bach said: “People have realised that this is about the quality of bids, not about the number of bids…People have realised there is a certain cycle and that this cycle speaks for Munich.”

Keep checking iSportconnect for regular updates on the proceedings as well as the announcement of the eventual winner later this afternoon…