Posted to MediaSyndicate.com (May 29, 2008 - 07:06 PM) : (Atlanta) May 29, 2008 – Two cities from the Americas are tied for first place with just days to go before the International Olympic Committee announces which cities will move to the final round of bidding for the 2016 Summer Games.


Chicago and Rio de Janeiro each score 79 of a possible 110 points in the last ATR rankings before the announcement in Greece on June 4. Tokyo (72), Madrid (71), and Doha (70) also are strong contenders to make the cut, according to the Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index. The remaining two cities – Baku, Uzbekistan (59) and Prague, Czech Republic (54) almost certainly will be dropped.

“The results of the latest Power Index make it clear that the two bids from the Americas are making the most compelling cases for the Games. And while Doha is bunched up with Madrid and Tokyo in a second-tier of bids, this first-ever bid from the Middle East also has emotional appeal that other bids do not,” says ATR Editor Ed Hula.

“The prospect is strong that Chicago and Rio de Janeiro will stay neck and neck in this race over the next 18 months leading to the IOC vote,” Hula continued.

The full ATR Power Index will be released Saturday and can be viewed at www.aroundtherings.com. It also will be available in a special edition magazine produced exclusively for SportAccord, the world’s premier sports conference, taking place in Athens, Greece, June 2 to 6. Around the Rings will provide extensive, on-the-scene coverage of the conference and the announcement on June 4. The special edition can be viewed at http://aroundtherings.com/tabid/90/Default.aspx.

The Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index is the only authoritative ranking of its kind outside one compiled by the IOC Evaluation Commission. The index is based on 11 criteria that include subjective points such as ambiance, and objective details such as accommodations and transport.

The index is based on visits by ATR correspondents and coverage of presentations by the cities around the globe. Six of the seven cities have been inspected by ATR staff. Scrutiny of bid documents and interviews with bid officials, IOC members and other sports leaders also influence the rankings.

The index is not meant to predict but to compare some of the major points that go into a successful Olympic Games. Judgments are based on nearly 20 years of covering Winter and Summer Olympics and the bids that led to them.

Ed Hula is available for interviews. Contact Sheila S. Hula via email Sheila@aroundtherings.com, or call ++ 1 404 874 1603, ext. 102.

For a two-week trial subscription, contact Tristan Luciotti, luciotti@aroundtherings.com.

Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.