IOC to name 2012 Games shortlist
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| | 2012 CONTENDERS | Havana, Cuba
Istanbul, Turkey
Leipzig, Germany
London, U.K.
Madrid, Spain
Moscow, Russia
New York, U.S.
Paris, France
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- The International Olympic Committee will announce on Tuesday the shortlist of candidates to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
The IOC is considering nine applicants -- Havana, Istanbul, Leipzig, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York City, Paris and Rio de Janeiro -- and could cut the field to as few as five.
However, the quality of the bids and the heavyweight nature of the applicants could see as many as seven cities go through to the next stage.
The IOC will select the winning city in July next year.
While IOC president Jacques Rogge said last year that he could envision all nine cities going through, sources now say some cities will definitely be cut.
Four years ago 10 cities were slashed to five at this stage in the race to stage the 2008 Games.
Along with Beijing -- who eventually won the race to host the Games -- Osaka, Toronto, Paris and Istanbul were invited to submit formal bids.
Havana was axed along with Bangkok, Cairo, Kuala Lumpur and Seville.
Cuban officials say this time that Havana should be awarded the Games because it is the world's top medal winner per capita.
However, the city faces rejection once again for weak infrastructure and inadequate accommodation, the same reasons it was turned down four years ago.
Bids launched
The nine contenders for the 2012 Olympics launched their bids in January with the emphasis on compact and easily accessible venues.
Favorites Paris and London promoted the attractions of their landmarks, Madrid promised an environmentally friendly Games while New York dubbed itself the "world city."
Paris bid organizers say they will stage beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and host many of the events at two clusters on the edge of the French capital.
London organizers say they will hold the beach volleyball competition in Horse Guards Parade.
Seventeen sports, including athletics and swimming, would be staged at a new venue in the city's deprived East End.
Madrid is proposing a green Games, concentrating on public rather than private transport, New York is focusing on its energy, drive and spirit while Moscow promises to stage "the best, most compact Olympics ever."
Istanbul, making its fourth consecutive bid to stage the Games, is calling itself a "bridge between civilizations."
Leipzig, a city of only 500,000 people, cites its size as an advantage while Rio de Janeiro promises that all venues would be situated within a 26km radius of each other. South America has never staged the Games.
