Korea to focus on bid for 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games

By Yoon Chul

Korea’s 2022 World Cup bid failed as FIFA President Sepp Blatter opened the envelope in Zurich, Friday (KST) announcing Qatar as host of the event.

It is sad for Korea, but the stage is set for PyeongChang’s 2018 Winter Olympics bid.

While PyeongChang decided early to challenge for a third time to host the Winter Games, the Korea Football Association, surprisingly, joined the 2022 World Cup bidding and the Korean government may have found it tough to support two big campaigns.

Now, the government and supporters can only focus on the Winter Games.

During its last two bids, PyeongChang didn’t have perfect circumstances as other cities, Daegu and Incheon, landed the 2011 World Athletics Championships and the 2014 Asian Games 2014.

If Korea won in its World Cup bid, it might have had a negative effect on PyeongChang’s attempt.

Through the competition to host the football festival, the Korea’s Winter Games bid committee may also have learned some lessons.

First of all, PyeongChang needs to be creative in emphasizing its advantages.

One of the advantages of the Games going to PyeongChang is spreading winter sports in Asia.

But Korea needs to convince the voters this is a good reason.

The IOC may also consider how the Olympics can generate a profit and how the host city will draw the world’s attention.

PyeongChang’s preparations are solid enough to be convenient for both fans and athletes.

All the accommodation is close to the venues and reaching the Games’ site is not difficult. The highway will be enlarged before 2018 and a bullet-train that will take only 68 minutes to deliver passengers from Incheon International Airport will be launched by 2017.

PyeongChang, is not as well known as its rival cities, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France.

And among the 110 IOC members, 48 are Europeans. To catch their attention PyeongChang needs to astonish them with brilliant planning and advertising.

Korea should also recognize that the power of diplomacy could change results surprisingly.

Hosting one big sporting event could have a negative impact on future bids.

But Russia, which was already chosen to for the2014 Winter Games in Sochi, won in its bid for the 2018 World Cup.

In order to obtain the best results Russia sent influential figures such as business tycoon and owner of Chelsea Football Club Roman Abramovich.

PyeongChang and Korea need to find someone of similar stature who may influence voters.

With judgement day only seven months away, Munich and Annecy have both faced internal problem.

The French bidding committee is trying to solve a problem with citizens who don’t want the Winter Games in their front yard and The Associated Press reported on Nov. 21 that a leader of Germany’s opposition Greens left the board for Munich’s 2018 Winter Olympics bid criticizing the city’s plan — a symbolic setback for the troubled bid while over 90 percent of citizens have welcomed the chance to host the Olympics in PyeongChang.

The city to host the 2018 Winter Games will be decided on July 6 in Durban, South Africa.