Asked to choose between Berlin and Hamburg as the applicant city for the 2024 Summer Games, the German Olympic Committee (DOSB) opted for the latter. At the time of the vote, 18 members chose Hamburg, while 11 declared their support for Berlin. Lastly, four voters selected both cities.
In lieu of the capital, host of the 1936 Games, the leaders preferred the northern port city. A choice that may seem surprising, and, by all accounts, was not easy. Alfons Hörmann, the president of the Olympic committee, admitted to the press after the meeting: “The choice was difficult, but we opted for Hamburg whose project is based on a fascinating and compact Olympic concept.”
Indeed, the Hamburg bid promoters have fully grasped the lessons from the IOC’s Agenda 2020. The concept is resolutely urban. It promises athletes and spectators the possibility of reaching all competition venues on foot or by bike.
According to Alfons Hörmann, Hamburg’s victory was not solely due to the DOSB members’ vote. In the latest survey, 64% of the population declared themselves in favor of the Olympic project, compared to 55% in Berlin. The gap is narrow, but not insignificant.
The German Olympic project promoters must now convince the public of the relevance of their candidacy.
