IOC to Change Bidding Process for Olympic Hosts

The process of bidding for the Olympic Games is about to undergo a dramatic overhaul after a series of proposals was approved by International Olympic Committee members, including the removal of a requirement that a host be selected seven years in advance.

The proposal also creates a set of commissions that will control the selection of host cities for the Summer and Winter Games. The proposals were approved at the recent IOC Session and given unanimous backing.

The IOC Evaluation Commission, which had been in charge of screening potential bid cities, will be replaced by Future Host Commissions for the Summer and Winter Games. Both commissions will have eight to 10 members, and will be in charge of recommending either cities or joint-bidders to the IOC Executive Board. Members of the Future Host Commissions will not be those who sit on the Executive Board — but the Executive Board will choose the members for each of the commissions.

Officials chosen to the commissions will be removed if their city or country is bidding to host the Games. Once put to the IOC Executive Board, it would be voted on in session, although it will have less of a say under the previous processes. Going forward, it will be possible that the IOC session is merely asked to approve a candidate to stage the Games, with no other bidders put forward by a commission.

Another change to the bidding process is that cities that consider hosting a Games will be asked to hold a public referendum, if so required, before they can be considered as a candidate.