For the Olympics: Hamburg Sports Association demands Senate commitment
The Hamburg Sports Federation (HSB) has decided by a large majority at its general meeting to remain in the national bidding process for a possible German Olympic candidacy with the Hanseatic city. This was announced by the Hamburg Sports Federation on Tuesday.
The Hamburg Senate was also asked to sign the Memorandum of Understanding of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) in order to continue the process of exploring whether and how the city could be "part of a nationwide bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Germany", according to the press release. With this declaration of intent to the DOSB, the cities are registering as candidates for the selection process and accepting the bid specifications of the umbrella organization. Other interested parties are Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and the Rhine-Ruhr region.
Hosting the Summer Games in Germany is possible in 2036 at the earliest - 100 years after the Games in Berlin under the National Socialist dictatorship. 2040 is also an option. The Summer Games will be held in Paris in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in Australia in 2032. The last time Germany hosted the Olympics was in 1972 with Munich and Kiel with the sailing competitions.
A preliminary decision on possible candidate cities is to be made at a DOSB general meeting on December 2 in Frankfurt am Main. A rough concept, including public participation, should then be ready by summer 2024. However, a final decision on whether Germany will bid for the Olympics is not expected until 2025 or 2026.
In 2015, the citizens of Hamburg voted against continuing the bid for the 2024 Olympic Games in a referendum.
The Hamburg Sports Federation (HSB) urged the Senate to sign the DOSB's Memorandum of Understanding, as Hamburg aims to be a potential candidate for the German Olympic bid, following the city's previous bid in 2015, which was rejected by the residents in a referendum. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) includes Hamburg among Berlin, Leipzig, Munich, and the Rhine-Ruhr region as potential hosts for the upcoming Olympic Games, with Olympia serving as the symbolic destination for such grand events.
Source: www.dpa.com
