PARIS : Istanbul is banking on its experience in hosting major international sports events and the city’s iconic brand, stretching across two continents, as it bids to land the 2036 summer Olympics, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said on Friday.
The Turkish metropolis that connects Europe with Asia has been an Olympic Games candidate city four times without success but Imamoglu said that experience was now invaluable. One more time it was an applicant city but failed to get into the candidate stage.
“Istanbul has bid four times and unfortunately these bids were unsuccessful,” he told Reuters in an interview. “We are bidding for the fifth time, for 2036.”
“All 16 million Istanbulites are willing to host the Games. The will of the local government is not enough. The inhabitants and volunteers need to be involved in the bid with the city’s rich history and miraculous landscape. As a sports city Istanbul is ready,” he said.
The Turkish city has a rapidly growing list of major events on its patch, having staged Formula One races as well two Champions League finals, including in 2023.
It will host the 2027 European Games, the continent’s biggest multi-sports event, and will co-host the 2032 European Championship in soccer jointly with Italy.
“The (European Games) will be an opportunity for us to have a very healthy rehearsal for the Olympics,” Imamoglu said.
“Istanbul has hosted very important sports events and has facilities that are ready. For that purpose the whole city has a very high capability to host such events.”
“As we will see with Paris, the Games give an opportunity to organisers together with the city,” he added.
The French capital on Friday is opening the Games with an unprecedented ceremony in the city centre, instead of a stadium, with athletes parading on barges along the river Seine.
ICONIC LANDMARKS
“Istanbul offers many opportunities visually speaking. It is an opportunity to showcase the city, the Bosphorus, the sea, the Golden Horn (waterway). It will be Olympics in a city where two continents unite and meet,” Imamoglu said.
Istanbul is not the only candidate for the 2026 Games, with India, Indonesia and Chile’s Santiago having also thrown their hats in the ring. More candidacies could come from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Korea among others.
IOC President Thomas Bach has said the number of interested cities were in the double digits. The 2028 Olympics will be held in Los Angeles and the 2032 edition in Australia’s Brisbane.
While competition is expected to be the stiffest in years, Imamoglu said Istanbul had gained experience from past candidacies.
“We have been candidates four times in the past so we have lots of experience in bidding. Investments have been made in that directions. We feel ready to host those Games,” he said.
“We invest massively in infrastructure, very strong investment plans for transport, especially metro lines. This high investment capacity is an advantage.
“It is a city that has a brand value, uniting two continents.”
