Pyeongchang stunned by second Games bid loss
05/07/2007 |
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Leaders of the South Korean bid to host the 2014 Winter Games in Pyeongchang were stunned after losing by four votes to Russia's Sochi on Wednesday, their second narrow bid defeat in four years.
"I don't want to say anything. Not now," said a shocked Gangwon province leader Kim Jin-sun, minutes after the result.
"I decided not to talk yet," he said walking away as the Russians, a few metres further down were preparing to sign the Games contract amid roaring applause.
Kim had masterminded the bid that would have taken the Winter Games to Asia for only the third time, and the first time outside Japan.
He had the backing of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun who spent three days in Guatemala trying to convince the IOC of the bid's quality.
In the weeks running up to the Games, Pyeongchang bid officials sounded confident they could win the Olympics after losing out four years ago to Canada's Vancouver by only three votes.
This time it was four votes that gave the winter edition of the Games to Russia for the first time.
"I just don't get it," said Pyeongchang Development Director Jeon Yong-kwan. "It (the bid) was real. It was not fake. If that did not work I don't know what would," he said.
Bid leaders were left speechless, looking over to the overjoyed Sochi team celebrating the win, shortly after IOC President Jacques Rogge announced the decision.
Pyeongchang had won the first round of voting that eliminated Austria's Salzburg, by two votes over Sochi.
Pyeongchang had hoped the IOC would pick a bid that would have turned the resort town into an Asian winter sports hub.
"I am just shocked with this decision. I don't know what influenced them (members)," Jeon added.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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