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Austria hopes IOC to award 2014 Winter Olympics to Salzburg |
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09:22, July 05, 2007 |
Austrian Foreign Minister Alfred Gusenbauer on Wednesday formally asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is holding its 119th session in Guatemal City, to make Austrian Salzburg the hosting city of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
"Austria is a safe nation, very very safe in fact. Since Tuesday it is officially the world's safest nation," said Gusenbauer, who is also Austria's sports minister.
Replying to a question about a doping scandal in Austrian skiing, he said that "this is a problem in all nations, all federations and in all Olympic committees".
Austria had not avoided the problem, and had barred several of these skiers for life, said Gusenbauer, adding that the president of Austrian Olympic Committee Leo Wallner "has taken firm action against the offenders".
"We back the IOC in their zero tolerance policy and are committed to fighting this cancer," Gusenbauer said.
Referring to the Salzburg candidacy's tight budget, he said "The IOC's money is on the table. But, we can offer the Olympic Movement something that money cannot buy: a genuine Alpine culture. Winter sports are in our DNA."
When Wallner spoke, he promised great sporting and trade benefits for the Olympic Movement if the Games take place in Salzburg.
Salzburg mayor and the leader of the city's bid, Heinz Schaden, said the city had "the perfect mix of tradition and innovation, infrastructures and a good environment: a combination that will move the world".
The Austrians were the third to present their bid to the committee, after Russian delegates representing Sochi and South Koreans representing Pyongchang.
The vote on the 2014 Winter Olympics takes place later on Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua
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