Berlin withdraws from selection for Germany’s Olympic bid — Asharq Al-Awsat

Berlin, Germany, has confirmed its withdrawal from the competition for the right to represent the country in a bid to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Munich and the Rhine-Ruhr region in western Germany remain potential venues for the German bid, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.

Berlin Senate’s decision

The Berlin Senate confirmed the decision at a press conference in the German capital on September 24, a day after reports emerged about the city’s possible withdrawal. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner called it a sad day for the city and said that the Olympic and Paralympic Games could have been a significant opportunity for Berlin, eastern Germany, and future generations.

According to Wegner, the key issue for leading sports associations was political stability. He noted that after Elif Eralp, the leading candidate of The Left party, stated that she did not support the Olympic bid, sports associations could not approve Berlin’s participation under such circumstances. According to the source, The Left party came first in last Sunday’s election.

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Germany’s further selection

Berlin bid chief Kaweh Niroomand said that the city could not ensure the necessary political stability. The day before, the evaluation commission of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) ranked the bids of Munich and the Rhine-Ruhr region above Berlin’s.

On September 26, the DOSB is to determine a priority region for submitting a bid to the International Olympic Committee to host one of the Summer Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. Hamburg had previously dropped out of the selection process: in May, the city did not receive support in a referendum.

The Summer Olympic Games have already been held twice on German territory: in Berlin in 1936, when the country was ruled by the Nazis, and in Munich in 1972.