The 32nd Olympic Games will take place in 2020. Madrid, Tokyo, Istanbul, Doha and Baku compete for holding the Games. All five cities have sent applications for holding Olympic Games in the past. Turkey and Azerbaijan presented their applications in Moscow.
The president of the National Olympic Committee of Turkey Ugur Erdener promised that “the best conditions for your sportsmen, so that they could show the best results. A half of 70 million of our people are young people under 25. We will celebrate achievements of all sportsmen in 2020. They would promote the Olympic movement and build a bridge to the future.”
Khasan Arat, the vice-president of the National Olympic Committee of Turkey, told about residential areas for sportsmen: “Olympic villages unite sportsmen from various countries, various continents and various cultures. Istanbul does it every day. Every day our city unites people from various continents and of various cultures. We will have one Olympic village for all sportsmen. It is situated in the seafront center of Istanbul. Plenty of rooms will be provided. Training bases will be in several steps from residence of sportsmen. Integrated available rooms will be provided to paralympic sportsmen. We will provide equal conditions for everyone. At the average it will take 20 minutes to reach one place from another.”
Khasan Arat: “Our plan correlates with the long-term plan of the city development. Among facilities I would like to mention stable models for the Olympic parks. Speeding up development and reconstruction of our port will be a symbol of the Olympic Games and new Turkey. Heritage for our people is more than 600 hectares of the green area, which will enable joining local population and the coast infrastructure. We have established structures for investment of billions dollars into the Games and have attracted partners, who are supported by the government. They are obliged to construct necessary infrastructure, guarantee high quality and quick launching. At the moment they are building new sporting facilities in our city. They are building the Olympic village for all sportsmen.”
As for logistics Khasan Arat said that in Istanbul “as in other big cities, traffic might be heavy in rush hours. Therefore out Games will take place during summer vacations, and traffic will be minimal. We are providing changes in the transport system, and have spent $16 million for it already. These efforts will help to transfer your sportsmen effectively. By 2020 we will double capacity of our subway system and will transfer our guests to all clusters of the Games. We have two high-class airports situated in north-west from the Olympic village. Istanbul is a global center. You can reach 200 various cities of the world from it. Its unique geographic situation enables you to come to the Games directly from your city. We have taken obligations on holding not simple Games, we promise that these Games would be spectacular and promoting the Olympic movement.”
The President of the NOC of Turkey Ugur Erdener promised that “almost 90% of people living in Istanbul and in the country support our application. Without any marketing more than 5 million residents of our city are ready to buy tickets for the Olympic Games today. This is a new old world, new Turkey, new application for the Olympic Games in the secular Muslim state that unites all races, religions and cultures. Our society is based in principles of freedom and tolerance. As for the Games, people and the mass media from every country are welcomed, so they could learn about our fantastic country more.”
However, Baku thinks it could hold the Olympic Games better
“Baku is a special place, it is our home. We would like to share our home with you. During many centuries people have been gathering in Baku to share their cultures and lives. We welcome everyone. We think that diversity of our past will form bright future,” the head of the communication department in the application committee of Baku, Nargiz Birk-Petersen. “Our vision of the Games 2020 is clear. We want to prove that the Olympic Games are not only reliable investment into sport, health and standard living, we want to prove that we can do it responsible which will give us an opportunity to create a new model of the Games for the future. Imagine the Olympic Games in a new region of the world. These Games will open one of the ancient, but little known cultures – the culture of my country. It is a modern festival of sport and friendship. The world is undergoing progressive changes. Social issues, which have always been important for the Olympic Games (equal opportunities for women, etc.), are the values that we support too. We know how the Games can influence the future of host cities. Now we dream together with you about our future.”
“Our country is rapidly progressing. We are investing into services and infrastructure to improve future of our people and people of our region,” the general secretary of the Association of the Football Federation of Azerbaijan Elkhan Mamedov. “Baku has perfect climate, beautiful sea, fascinating history, and the most important thing – one of the strongest and most progressing economies in the world. Positive influence of the Games 2020 in Baku is difficult to predict, but I’m sure that future of Azerbaijan will change for sportsmen and our population. We should all work together. This is our motto. We should be partners with the Olympic movement. Baku has unique opportunities for opening a new chapter in the Olympic history. We can be a bridge between the West and the East. Baku can open new markets for the IOC and partners. We want to suggest such a model for the Olympic Games that can fulfill all requirements. Our model will show future host cities that the Olympic Games are reliable investments into the future, they are an approachable target and catalyst for changes in society and environment for the best.”
“We hope for success, and our intention to hold these Games is supported by the government, Baku, the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan and population. We are supported by 95% of population,” the president of Heydar Aliyev Fund Mekhriban Aliyeva says. “Our capital, Baku, is lovely cosmopolitan city. Old and new are together here. We have rich historic heritage. We have a lot to dream about. Here the West and the East meet. Peace, diversity, and inter-ethnic tolerance are basis of our identity. Our sporting history is rooted to prehistoric times. We know that our ancestors drew on the Gabustan Rock. We have legends about sportsmen. Today we invest into sporting infrastructure. It shows how enthusiastically we support the Olympic Movement and sport. We understand we need political and financial investment for holding the Olympic Games. The GDP of our country has grown by 300% during 10 years. We have held various projects in spheres of ecology, investment and finances. And they are directed at improving life of our 9 million residents.”
