Sam: South Africa Will Bid To Host The Olympics

Speaking exclusively to Sportindustry.biz’s sibling website in South Africa, Gideon Sam, President of the South Africa Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), has confirmed that South Africa is looking to bid for the Olympic Games in either 2020 or 2024.

In an in-depth interview with Sportindustry.co.za, Sam stated that he had already discussed the idea of bidding with the International Olympic Committee and would confirm his intention following the World Cup.

‘We told the International Olympic Committee following a meeting in Vancouver earlier this year that we would like to host the Olympics but that we wanted to wait until we had the full report after this summer’s World Cup which will give us much more concrete evidence as to our abilities to host such a major sporting event. All being well, and with the full backing of FIFA, we would like to look at hosting either the 2020 or 2024 Olympics.

‘Our Minister of Sport has been very encouraging of such a prospect. He even turned round to me and said “what are we waiting for?” and he’s absolutely right. We are even looking at bidding for a Commonwealth Games even sooner. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be in the frame for these kinds of spectacles.’

Sam will add his considerable expertise to the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards Judging Panel – a role in which he will be responsible for helping to choose the inaugural Awards’ winners.

Presented in front of a star-studded audience of all the key stakeholders in South African sport, the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards will recognise and reward the best the South African sport business has to offer in categories covering marketing, PR, sponsorship, media, advertising and design.

The City of Ekurhuleni will stage the inaugural Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards which will take place on February 17th, 2011 and will be hosted by Emperors Palace.

The annual Awards ceremony will see the country’s top-performing sport brands and organisations receive recognition for their work at a glamorous black-tie event in what has become the most visible and sought-after endorsement of commercial achievement in sport.

To learn more about the Virgin Active Sport Industry Awards and to read the full interview with Gideon Sam, visit www.sportindustry.co.za.