On Wednesday, Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, expressed his surprise at Pyeongchang’s overwhelming victory in the first round of bidding for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
After Pyeongchang secured 63 votes from IOC members, surpassing Munich’s 25 and Annecy’s seven, Rogge stated that he had anticipated no city would achieve a majority in the initial voting round.
“Honestly, I did not expect a first-round victory. I anticipated at least two rounds. Congratulations to the winner; they have won decisively,” Rogge remarked to reporters after partaking in a ceremony to finalize the host contract for Pyeongchang.
He attributed the success of the South Korean city to their relentless spirit, which motivated Pyeongchang to pursue its bid for the third time after finishing second for both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
“There is a valuable lesson in Pyeongchang’s achievement: patience and determination have triumphed,” he commented.
Rogge also addressed concerns regarding the future of the Winter Olympics and discussed whether hosting the Games in South Korea for the first time would enhance an event typically dominated by Europeans and North Americans.
“I am not at all pessimistic about the future of the Winter Games. There are currently preparations for bids from both Europe and the United States, as well as from other nations,” Rogge affirmed.
“I see no threat. Furthermore, the emergence of an Asian candidate is undoubtedly positive news. It will bolster winter sports in Asia.”
For the South Korean bid committee, the day was filled with emotion. Kim Jin-Seun, the former governor of Gangwon Province and a key figure behind all three Pyeongchang bids, revealed that he shed tears upon hearing the host announcement.
“We celebrated by cheering loudly, and I cried. That is what I felt inside,” Kim expressed.
Park Yong-Sung, president of the Korean Olympic Committee, mentioned that the IOC’s decision would propel the growth of major sporting events in emerging nations.
“In the past, we believed that the Olympics were solely for wealthy and large countries capable of hosting the Games. However, now with both us and Rio de Janeiro, which will host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, it shows that even developing nations with robust programs and campaigns have the potential to host the Games in the future,” he said.
Buford Balony says: Excellent, maybe North Korea can bomb the winter Olympics. That would make it more exciting.
