Beckenbauer claims decision to award 2018 Olympics to Pyeongchang is "scandalous"

[richard]

Football legend Franz Beckenbauer has hit out at the European members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after they voted to award the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Pyeongchang instead of Annecy or Munich.

Pyeongchang polled 63 votes in the ballot at the IOC Session here on Wednesday (July 6), nearly twice as many as Annecy and Munich combined.

Munich scored 25 votes and Annecy seven.

"It's absolutely scandalous that Europeans do not help other Europeans for completely selfish reasons," said Beckenbauer, the former captain of Bayern Munich and Germany.

"Forty two voting Europeans are sitting on the IOC, but only 25 gave their vote to Munich.

"Pyeongchang won the first ballot with 63 votes, that means that a majority of Europeans voted against the European candidates."

Beckenbauer, who had flown to South Africa especially to support his home city, had earlier praised the IOC for allowing so many members to vote for which city should host the Olympcis and Paralympics rather than following FIFA's model which restricts the decision as to who hosts the World Cup to just 24 members of the ruling Executive Board.

But now he has blasted the decision-making as selfish and accused several European members of voting to protect future bids from their own countries.

It is widely assumed, for example, that Italy's five members of the IOC voted for Pyeongchang so not to damage the chances of Rome winning its bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

"Many prefer to think of a future candidacy of their own country and strive not to damage their chances," Beckenbauer claimed.

"They would have rather raised their hand for Korea than for Munich or Annecy.

"It's all about self-interest, I think that's terrible."

But Beckenbauer's criticism was rejected by IOC members.

"Franz Beckenbauer should not forget some of the venues that FIFA chooses - I'm just going to say Qatar [chosen by FIFA to host the 2022 World Cup]," said Russia's Alexander Popov, a double Olympic gold medallist.

"Besides, the IOC is a democratic body, everyone can decide for himself and there is no coercion."


Source
By Duncan Mackay
www.insidethegames.biz