Neighboring countries Poland and Germany have both thrown their hats into the ring to host the 2040 Summer Olympics.
On the 16th (local time), according to AP News and others, Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, said at a football stadium in Karczew, "Considering the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s preliminary decisions, we can discuss the Olympics for either 2040 or 2044." Swabomir Nitras, Minister of Sport and Tourism, also said, "Poland can host the Olympics as well as France," adding, "We already have most of the necessary infrastructure in place."
The previous Polish government had expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. However, Prime Minister Tusk said that 2040 and 2044 are more realistic timeframes.
Poland co-hosted the 2012 European Football Championship, the largest sports event in Europe, together with Ukraine, but has never hosted the Olympics.
Earlier this month, the German government and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) also formalized their intention to bid for the 2040 Olympics by signing an agreement in Paris, France, where the Olympics are currently being held. In addition to Berlin and Munich, which have previously hosted the Olympics, cities near Leipzig and the Rhine-Ruhr area are hoping to host the Games. Berlin also announced cooperation with Hamburg, the largest city in the former West Germany region, for the Olympic bid. Germany plans to actively leverage the fact that 2040 marks the 50th anniversary of reunification. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, "We will be able to present a compelling concept to the world as a symbol of democracy and freedom."
Germany has been a traditional sports powerhouse in Europe since the division period, but memories of Olympics held in the country are not positive. The 1936 Berlin Olympics are regarded as having been reduced to a Nazi political propaganda platform, and the 1972 Munich Olympics saw the Palestinian "Black September" group kill 11 Israeli athletes. Munich's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Hamburg's bid for this year's Summer Olympics were both canceled following local referendums.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Germany ranked 10th with 12 gold, 13 silver, and 8 bronze medals. Poland ranked 42nd with 1 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze medals.
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