The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has confirmed that it is not yet considering a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games as it has committed its resources to winning the bid for Durban 2022 and would require further information from the IOC before considering an Olympic bid.
“The bidding process for the CWG requires enormous time, dedication and resources in order for one to put forward a successful bid,” said SASCOC in a statement on Wednesday.
“With our focus solely on delivering the games to the city of Durban, the Board of SASCOC will not be diverted from this mission.”
HOST CITY reported on Monday that a bid for the Olympic Games incorporating cities all over South Africa was being contemplated. This would be made possible through the IOC’s recent Agenda 2020 changes to bidding procedure.
SASCOC was not able to verify this when contacted by HOST CITY on Monday.
Shortly after the publication of this report, which was picked up on by various other media, SASCOC issued a statement saying that they were being inundated with queries from media on whether SASCOC is intending to bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
“An Olympic bid is not currently under consideration,” SASCOC confirmed.
“The Board of SASCOC is at this time fully committed to bidding for the Commonwealth Games in 2022. The first step is to win the bid and then to deliver a successful Games,” said Tubby Reddy, CEO of SASCOC.
“The Board has not received any notification or correspondence from the International Olympic Committee with regard to the bidding process for the 2024 Olympic Games. Therefore, the issue of South Africa bidding for the 2024 Olympic Games does not arise.
“Once this communiqué is received, the SASCOC Board will engage with Honourable Minister Fikile Mbalula and National Government on whether one is going to consider an Olympic Games bid in 2024.”
In support of Durban’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, SASCOC exhibited at HOST CITY Bid to Win conference in October, which attracted an extremely high level of speakers and delegates including David Grevemberg, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Durban faces strong competition from Edmonton in its bid to host the Commonwealth Games.
“Winning the bid for the CWG will be very significant for the City of Durban, especially as the other city is Edmonton, Canada,” said Reddy.
“Canada has already hosted the Games four times. We are seriously focused on the prize of winning the bid and we will not be distracted by other issues that have not been sanctioned by the SASCOC Board.”
The host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games will be elected on 2 September 2015.
SASCOC has until 15 September 2015 to define its applicant for the 2024 Olympic Games.
