Beijing to bid to organize 2008 Olympic Games

Beijing to bid to organize 2008 Olympic Games

BEIJING (AFP): Beijing will bid to stage the 2008 Olympic Games, officials said Wednesday, launching a new campaign after China's humiliating defeat to Sydney in the contest for the 2000 Games.

"Beijing has now decided to bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games," China Olympic Committee (COC) spokesman Wei Hongquan told AFP.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will make a final decision on the 2008 hosts in 2001. The spokesman said China's formal application would be made well before then.

"There's still plenty of time, and we are taking it slowly. The main task at present is the Bangkok Asian Games (in December) and the Sydney Olympics," he added.

The spokesman said other Chinese cities could still submit applications. Shanghai and Guangzhou, which had been discussing a joint bid with Hong Kong and Macau, had been named as contenders.

But the announcement probably means most of the huge effort required will now be concentrated on the capital. The campaigns require massive international lobbying over several years.

Hong Kong sports officials said they would press ahead with plans to get a share of the Games, although they admitted Beijing's move had hit the territory's chances.

The mayor of Beijing, Jia Qinglin, submitted the city's application to Wu Shaozu, chairman of China's Olympic Committee (COC), at a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

"We think that as the world's most populous country with a vigorous and growing economy, China should host the Olympic Games and make more contribution to the Olympic movement," Wu was quoted as saying.

Beijing lost by two votes to Sydney when the IOC executive decided on the host of the 2000 Games in 1993.

Despite a massive lobbying campaign, the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre of pro-democracy students, China's human rights record and pollution in Beijing weighed heavily against the bid.

Australian International Olympic Committee member Kevan Gosper welcomed Beijing's Olympic bid plan.

"I had been hoping Beijing would bid again after we beat them so narrowly in 1993," Gosper said of Sydney's two-vote win for the 2000 Games.

But the Japanese city of Osaka put a brave face on Beijing's bid, saying it was still confident of victory.

"I had expected Beijing would enter the race," said Osaka Olympic Bid Promotion Committee official Hiroki Hashimoto.