Munich/Lausanne - Munich lodged its official bid to host the 2018 Winter Games at International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne Wednesday with organizers pledging the set new standards for an Olympic Games. "The starting gun has been fired, Munich has registered itself for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," said Thomas Bach, head of the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) and an IOC vice- president.
"We are delighted that Munich is entering the race with a compact, innovative and enduring concept," Bach added. "The sound of the excitement for the bid now needs to spread to the people."
The IOC decides on which city will host the 2018 Winter Games on July 6, 2011 in the South African city of Durban with Munich, host city of the 1972 Summer Games, hoping to become the first city to hold both winter and summer editions.
Munich's only challengers so far are Pyeongchang, South Korea and the French resort of Annecy.
All official entries must arrive with the IOC in Lausanne by Thursday, October 15.
"We want to set new Olympic standards with our concept of ecology and legacy," said Christian Ude, mayor of Munich, which along with the regions of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden is looking to land the 2018 Games.
The next phase is submission of the application file and guarantee letters to the IOC by March 15, 2010, and the IOC Executive Board acceptance of candidate cities by the end of June 2010.
The IOC Evaluation Commission will then visit the candidate cities in February and March of 2011, with its report due one month before the election of the host city in Durban.
