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IOC chief not worried with USOC decision to change 2024 bid city

Xinhua, July 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said here on Wednesday that he is not worried that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) withdrew Boston from the 2024 Olympic bid in order to pursue another potential U.S. city.

"We're not concerned at all because for us the situation has not changed," Bach told a press conference following the second day of the IOC executive board meeting.

"We had a commitment from the USOC for an Olympic candidature for 2024. We're sure the USOC will deliver on this commitment and we will have on the 15th of September a bid from the United States."

Boston mayor Marty Walsh initially endorsed his city's support for the bid but when pressed on Monday by the USOC he said he could not make guarantees that would put taxpayers at risk.

"Boston obviously did not deliver on the promises they made to the USOC when they were selected," said Bach.

"We can understand the decision by the USOC and we are looking forward to an American bid with another city."

Los Angeles is seen as the most likely choice to replace Boston due to existing venues, experience and proven record.

"I have no reason to doubt this commitment by the USOC - it is now an internal issue for the USOC to determine the most appropriate city. It is not up to the IOC to give unsolicited advice on this," said the IOC chief.

"We want to send athletes only to cities where they are welcome."

On Tuesday the IOC's executive board decided to reduce the cost of bid service fees that are charged to cities that bid for the Olympic Games. Prices for the 2024 bid were initially set at 650,000 US dollars but were reduced to only 250,000 dollars that is payable in three installments - two at 50,000 dollars and a final payment of 150,000 dollars.

Paris, Rome, Hamburg and Budapest are already in the race while Baku and Toronto are mulling the possibility. Now the U.S. will have to either choose a replacement or decide not to bid althogether.

The winning city will be chosen in the summer of 2017. Endi