Lausanne Update — IOC Studies 2018 Olympic Bids; Anniversary Ahead for TOP

Candidate City Decision Tuesday

The IOC Executive Board opens two days of meetings in Lausanne reviewing a report on the three cities applying to become candidates for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The report by an IOC experts panel will critique the applications submitted earlier this year by Annecy, Munich and PyeongChang .

The EB decides which of the three will be admitted to the final stage of the contest, which will run until July 2011 when the IOC Session will vote on a finalist.

All three cities are sending delegations to Lausanne for the announcement Tuesday afternoon at IOC headquarters.

With each of the bids seemingly well-prepared and experienced at hosting winter sports events, all three are expected to move into the final round.

Organizing Committees Report

With the London Olympics almost two years away and a new budget-cutting government in place for Britain, London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe will be aiming to deliver assurances that all is well in his report Tuesday afternoon to the EB.

Along with Coe, leaders of Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 will update the IOC on their progress to the Games.

Rio is expected to announce the formation of an office in Lausanne, a first for an organizing committee. Former IOC secretary general Francoise Zweifel is in line to head the office.

Olympic Day June 23rd

The IOC EB meeting is timed to end June 23, marked in Lausanne and internationally as Olympic Day, the date the IOC was founded in 1894.

Around the globe, Olympic Day fun runs are a popular way for NOC’s to celebrate the day, while in Lausanne this year the annual Women and Sport trophies will be awarded in a ceremony at IOC headquarters. Individuals from the five continents will be recognized for their work on behalf of sport for women.

TOP Anniversary Celebration

Founders of TOP, the worldwide sponsorship program of the IOC, will assemble in Lausanne June 24 for a reunion dinner to mark the 25th anniversary of TOP – first an acronym for The Olympic Program, TOP now is shorthand forThe Olympic Partners.

Individuals associated with the early days of TOP will come to Lausanne for the tribute, including companies now gone from the program such as Kodak and 3M.

The TOP anniversary party will follow Thursday’s meeting of the IOC Marketing Commission where an updates will be given on the quest for one or two new members of the TOP program. U.S.-based consumer products company Proctor and Gamble is said to be the next, announcement imminent.

ANOC Moves to Lausanne

The Association of National Olympic Committees officially decamps from Paris this week to new offices in Lausanne. For more than 20 years ANOC has maintained a small headquarters in the French capital, but now the Olympic capital will host the organization headed by IOC member Mario Vazquez Rana. A dedication and reception is planned for Tuesday evening.

Written by Ed Hula.