BERLIN: Berlin hoping that its application will be successful is bracing itself to stage the Olympic Games in the year 2000 and already preparations are well under way
Evidence of this can be gleaned from a visit to the Olympic offices set up by the city overlooking the famous Alexander platz the site of the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations which resulted in the collapse of the communist regime in East Germany
There Juergen Kiessling has assembled a team of workers who are laying out the plans well in advance of the Olympic committee’s decision which will be announced in September 1993 Besides Berlin other major contenders are Manchester Sydney Beijing Brasilia Buenos Aires Toronto and Milan.
Awaiting a June decision by Bonn politicians on whether their city or Berlin will be the future seat of government Mr Kiesling believes Berlin is the natural venue for the 200 Olympic Games.
However he says the outcome of the vote in Bonn about the future of Berlin will also play an important role in shaping a future Olympic city.
We want to build up this city and promote its national and international potential as soon as possible he explained in an interview in his office. At the same time we want to show that we are serious contenders for the Olympics and that we can provide the facilities needed.
Mr Kiessling is diplomatically cautious not to draw any other country into the competition but speaks enthusiastically about Berlin’s potential.
East Germany under the communists was naturally in a bad shape and choosing Berlin as the center of Germany for politics and sports will provide the conditions necessary to give the city the economic boost it needs.
We have many new ideas about improving the quality of life in the city and applying to stage the Olympics will act as a catalyst for improving the city’s infrastructure naturally if our application is a success it will accelerate the development of the city he says.
The initial cost of preparations for the Games has been estimated by the Berlin Senate at about 1.5 billion Deutschmarks. But the organizers say their conservative estimates tell them they will be able to regain another four billion D marks from worldwide television rights entrance fees lotteries and sponsorship.
The organizers say that the Games will attract 4.5 billion television viewers and bring 16000 journalists to the city.
One of the incentives to work harder to make Berlin the site of the Games in 2000 is the creation of new jobs for the ‘thousands of people unemployed in former East Germany.
Mr Kiessling adds we hope that by improving the underground transport system and the roads in Berlin as well as construction of new housing for participants in the Olympic Games we can Create between 8000 and 10,000 new jobs.
He also adds that despite the special status which sports people used to be given by the authorities in the former East German government their sports facilities were not kept in a terribly good state.
He adds: Now we have the capacity to hire new people not only from Berlin but from the region as well
With the murder of Israeli athletes at the Olympic Games in Munich still a bleak memory in the sports world the problem of security is uppermost in the minds of the organizers.
Naturally we do not want to talk about our plans publicly but obviously we have made extensive arrangements and we plan not only to use the Berlin police force but also call in the police from all over the country to help us.
However we want to be careful that we don’t make the police presence too obvious so that the ordinary visitor feels threatened or uncomfortable he said.
Mr Kiessling the former head of the Berlin Sports Association already knows how much work lies ahead. Though the challenge is immense he says he cannot wait until the Olympic committee makes its decision In the meantime. All I will be doing is keeping my fingers crossed that the decision is in favor of Berlin.
Durban wants to host Games: Meanwhile the world sporting community has yet to welcome South Africa back to the fold but a campaign is already underway to host the Olympic Games in the republic reports AFP.
The newly-formed Durban for the Olympics committee wants to host the Games in the Indian Ocean resort in 2000.
Durban’s city leisure committee chief Mike Lipchitz said we are tremendously excited at the prospect of Durban hosting the Olympics and we accept in principle the proposals of the DOC according to the Tuesday’s press reports.
The DOC’’s first major hurdle is likely to be a racial one South Africa is set to return to the world sports arena later this year provided that its apartheid laws are abolished later this month and that new sporting bodies are formed on a nonracial basis.
The DOC’s founder Robbie Stewart says Durban has a real chance of bagging the games as no African country has so far hosted the Olympics adding that only the republic has the necessary infrastructure to do so
Article extracted from this publication >> June 28, 1991
