[Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Four years after hosting the FIFA World Cup, South Africa is working on a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games with the country’s Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee member Sam Ramsamy this week saying, “I think Africa is ready to host an Olympics.”
Certainly, the continent’s chances of hosting the quadrennial showpiece of international athletics has been given a boost after the International Olympic Committee this month announced new reforms. These include making bidding easier and cheaper and allowing possible joint bids which aim to take the Games to “new regions”.
Olympic chief Thomas Bach was quoted in a media interview as saying it was up to Africa to make a “feasible” case.
“I can only say that I think a feasible bid from Africa would enjoy many sympathies from among the IOC members but the first step has to be done by Africa,” the IOC president said.
The IOC has said that the host for the 2024 Games will be decided at a meeting in the Peru capital Lima in 2017.
