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Olympic Games to be held in multiple countries

But some IOC members express concern with rule change

Olympic events will be able to be staged in more than one city or even in different countries in the future after new rules were agreed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday.

The 127th IOC session meeting in Monaco passed recommendations on bidding for Games despite concerns being expressed that the changes could damage the atmosphere of the Olympics.

The new rules — which would come into effect in 2024 — will also make it less costly for cities to bid to host Games, with the IOC picking up the bill for some of the costs which was brought sharply into focus when it was announced only Beijing and Almaty are bidding to host the 2022 winter Olympics.

The rules were passed unanimously but there were some concerns expressed by IOC members about holding Olympic Games in different cities or countries.

Prince Imran Tunku from Malaysia raised the prospect of two cities bidding to be joint hosts of the Winter Olympics with ice-based events held in one city and snow-based events in another.

Syed Ali, the IOC member from Pakistan, told the session: “This would tremendously increase the cost of travel and the time spent on travel and diminish the whole atmosphere of the Games.”

The Swiss IOC member who oversaw the preparations for London 2012, Denis Oswald, added: “I am concerned that it may be not a real Olympic experience and that athletes will not be able to stay in the Olympic Village.

“Legacy might be undermined by this measure as well — and I am thinking in particular of the emerging countries — they may encounter many difficulties.

“I am worried that the unique character of the Games could be diminished by the recommendation to allow some events to be dispersed over several locations within the same country or even in a neighbouring country.

“The Olympic Village won’t look the same and for isolated athletes it will resemble more of a world championship without living a true Olympic experience.”

IOC vice-president John Coates, who presented the changes to bidding rules, said holding events outside the host city or country would only be considered in “exceptional circumstances.”

Suggestions that some summer events could be held during the Winter Olympics have been dismissed by the IOC.

Brian Cookson, the president of cycling’s world governing body the UCI, was among those calling for a radical overhaul of the Olympics, with indoor sports such as track cycling, judo and badminton possibly moving to the Winter Games.

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