Trends favor North America for 2010

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- After the high-profile race for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the decision to award the event to China for the first time, the campaign for the 2010 Winter Games has been as low-key as it gets.

The contest will pick up momentum this week, however, when the International Olympic Committee selects a short list of finalists from the current field of eight candidates.

The IOC executive board opens a three-day meeting Tuesday that will focus heavily on the allegations that a reputed Russian mobster conspired to fix two figure skating competitions at the Salt Lake City Games.

The board will consider the IOC's options in the case of Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, who is under arrest in Italy on U.S. charges of plotting to manipulate the results of the Olympic ice dancing and pairs events.

A decision on the 2010 games will come Wednesday, with the board expected to cut the field to two, three or four official bid cities.

Considered certain of making the cut are the front-running entries from Canada and Austria -- Vancouver, British Columbia, and Salzburg.

If the board decides to select more than two finalists, the Swiss capital of Bern should make the list.

The others in the running are Andorra La Vella, Andorra; Harbin, China; Jaca, Spain; Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

For the first time, the cities have been required to pay a fee ($100,000) to enter prospective bids. The finalist cities will have to pay an additional $500,000 to cover the costs of the selection procedure.

As part of a cost-cutting measure, the finalists won't be allowed to launch any international promotional campaigns until Jan. 10, 2003.

The IOC will send a panel of experts to visit the finalists cities and compile a detailed report on their sports venues, financial plans and other technical issues. Site visits by IOC members remain prohibited as part of the reforms enacted following the Salt Lake City bid scandal.

The 2010 winner will be selected by the full IOC assembly at its session in Prague, Czech Republic, in July, 2003.

As usual, geopolitical factors should come into play.

Geography does not favor Europe, which has the 2004 Summer Olympics (Athens, Greece) and 2006 Winter Games (Torino, Italy).

Several European cities -- including Rome, Paris, Moscow and Madrid -- are lining up bids for the 2012 Summer Games and would not want the previous games in Europe.

With the 2008 Summer Games in China, Asia stands little chance for 2010.

Geographical rotation points toward North America, giving Vancouver a major boost. Also, Europeans could favor Canada in 2010 to take North America (bids from a U.S. city and Toronto) out of play for the 2012 games.

The IOC makes its 2010 cut a day after the U.S. Olympic Committee selects two finalists in the race to become the American bidder for 2012. The four candidates are New York, Washington, San Francisco and Houston.

Besides dealing with the 2010 bids and the figure skating scandal, the IOC board will also hear updates from organizers of the Athens and Torino Olympics.

There also will be reports from IOC commissions studying ways of reducing the size and cost of the games, and examining which sports -- if any -- should be dropped or added from the Olympics. Baseball, softball and modern pentathlon are considered on the hot seat.

A quick look at the 2010 candidates:

-- Andorra. Tiny principality of 67,000 people in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Some ski and skating events would be in the Midi-Pyrenees region of France. Longshot.

-- Bern. Fourth attempt by Switzerland for the Winter Games since 1969; last held in the country in 1948 in St. Moritz. Hopes to make up for favorite Sion's surprise defeat to Torino for 2006. Should make short list if more than two selected.

-- Harbin. Gritty industrial city 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) northeast of Beijing in Heilongjiang province. Staged the 1996 Asian Winter Games and the 2000 World Junior Figure Skating Grand Prix. Trial run for 2014.

-- Jaca. Small Spanish town of 11,000 in the heart of the Pyrenees, making third bid after unsuccessful efforts for 1998 and 2002 games. Outsider to make the cut; longshot overall.

-- Pyeongchang. In mountainous eastern province of Kangwon, 180 kilometers (112 miles) from Seoul. Five other cities in the province would stage events. Held Alpine World Cup ski races in 1998 and 2000. Outsider.

-- Salzburg. City of Mozart's birthplace. Bid includes skiing at Kitzbuehel and its famed "Streif" downhill track; other world-class venues. Lock for short list; among top two contenders.

-- Sarajevo. Host of the 1984 Games battered by ethnic warfare less than decade later, with all venues damaged or destroyed. Bid symbolizes Bosnia's recovery, but lots of work to do. Sentimental longshot.

-- Vancouver. Highly professional bid featuring so-called "Sea-to-Ski" highway connecting the city with the ski resort of Whistler. Certain to make cut; overall favorite.

 

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