2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS BIDS

Five cities made the shortlist with their 'bids to host the 2008 Summer Olympics' (formally known as ''Games of the XXIX Olympiad''), which were awarded to Beijing, on July 13, 2001. The other shortlisted cities were Toronto, Paris, Istanbul and Osaka.

Contents

Final selection

Other cities

Did not make short-list

Did not submit entries, but planned to

References

External links

Final selection

In the first round of voting, only Beijing, Toronto, Paris, and Istanbul remained; Osaka was eliminated after having received only six votes. In the second round, Beijing received enough votes to grab the absolute majority, and no subsequent rounds of voting were required. The results^[1] of the second round were as follows: Beijing garnered 56 votes, Toronto 22, Paris 18, and Istanbul 9. Although some claimed that the bids from Paris and Toronto were technically superior, the IOC, under Juan Antonio Samaranch, was especially sympathetic and eager to see China, the world's most populous country, play host to the Olympic Movement.
After Berlin (1936), Mexico City (1968, preceded by the Tlatelolco massacre) and Moscow (1980), Beijing is the fourth city under authoritarian rule to host the games. The IOC evaluation commission classified^[2] the "political system" as "working for China" and declared: "The overall presence of strong governmental control and support is healthy...". Li Lan-Qing (2001-07-17, vice premier of the PRC): "The winning of the 2008 Olympic bid is an example of the the international recognition of China's social stability, economic progress and the healthy life of the Chinese people."
While many nations praised the decision, opposing groups objected arguing that China's human rights issues made it unfit for the honor. The European Parliament issued a resolution^[3] on Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. To quell concerns over this, Beijing chose the motto of "'New Beijing, Great Olympics'" in order to emphasize the country's movement towards new ideals for the new millennium.
In Toronto, many felt that the city's loss was a contributing factor in Vancouver getting the 2010 Winter Olympics.

2008 Host City Election — ballot results
City	Country (NOC)	'Round 1'	'Round 2'
Beijing	China	'44'	'56'
Toronto	Canada	20	22
Paris	France	15	18
Istanbul	Turkey	17	9
Osaka	Japan	6	—

Other cities

Did not make short-list

★ Bangkok, Thailand

★ Cairo, Egypt

★ Havana, Cuba

★ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

★ Seville, Spain

Did not submit entries, but planned to

★ Buenos Aires, Argentina

★ Monterrey, Mexico

★ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

★ Cape Town, South Africa

★ Lisbon, Portugal

★ Krasnaya Polyana, Russia

★ Israel/Gaza

References

1. http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/election_uk.asp
2. 2001, Host City Election Procedure 2008: Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission
3. European Parliament resolution on Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games

External links

★ 2008 Olympic bid

★ Beijing's bid for the Olympic Games in 2008