POSTED: April 7th 2011
NewsUpdate
Bach and Ude confident of decisive victory in Garmisch referendum
KEIR RADNEDGE at SportAccord / Sports Features Communications
LONDON, Apr 07: Munich’s 2018 bid team is confident that the referendum in Garmisch-Partenkirchen will banish, once and for all, any concerns about local opposition to hosting the Winter Olympics.
Mayor Christian Ude and Thomas Bach, president of the German Olympic sports federation, were resolute in dismissing any sense of doubt over the No and Yes votes will be held on May 8.
Ude said: “We are very optimistic. In fact it was my proposal to make a referendum to finish the public debate, especially in some newspapers.
“We are sure there will be a big majority for the bid and this will end any discussions. We are sure the majority will really be so big so that every discussion about public opinion in Garmisch-Partenkirchen will be really finished.”
Bach said the issue had not even been discussed within the International Olympic Committee.
He said: “Public support in Germany since December has increased tremendously and - after we had full stadia for the skiing world cups - it increased 25pc. We enjoy the highest support such a project has ever had in Germany – even more than for football’s 2006 World Cup at this stage so we have every reason to be optimistic.”
Sponsorship strength
Bach also addressed the economic value to the Olympic movement of a successful bid from Germany.
He said: “There is a passion for international sports in our business community. About 50p of all the money for the top winter sports federations comes from Germany and - to give you an idea of the potential for the future – the German sponsorship market in the next seven years will grow about E22bn.
“Imagine what that would mean for the Olympic movement as a whole with a bigger piece of the cake going to all Olympic sports via the IOC and and inernational federations - because winter sport, in total, represents about 40pc of the income from the Olympic Games.
“So there is huge potential as regards atmosphere and excitement but also sponsorship and the financial health and security of the Olympic movement for decades to come.”
Keywords · Munich · 2018 Winter Olympics · Bach · Ude
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