Bach rules out re-opening bidding race for 2022 Winter Games

MONTE CARLO - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced a new bidding system as part of 40- point reform package approved on Monday, but IOC president Thomas Bath ruled out re-opening the 2022 Winter Games race after four of six bidding cities dropped out.

With an invitation phase being added to the reversed bidding system, IOC member Dick Pound suggested to relaunch the 2022 process since Beijing and Kazakhstan's Almaty have been the only two candidate cities left.

Bach, however, reckoned it a deserved edging situation for Beijing and Almaty's persistence.

"You have always an advantage if you stay in competition," he said. "You cannot win if you don't stay in the competition."

The four cities having dropped off their bids are Oslo, Stockholm, Poland's Krakow and Ukraine's Lviv.

Also the boss of world biggest multi-sport event's governing body said in Monaco Tuesday that the IOC will invite potential bidders for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games next month for a consultation.

"We intend to launch this invitation phase on Jan. 15 next year and contact all the national Olympic committees who are in discussion about a potential bid," he said.

Germany's Berlin or Hamburg, four cities from the United States, Rome, Istanbul, Doha, Baku, Budapest, Paris and an African city might be aimed by the IOC's invitation.