What the IOC Demands

 

Violating his own promises of transparency, Mayor Marty Walsh has ignored requests for the documents he reviewed in advance of submitting a bid to the USOC. However, at least one document that Mayor Walsh reviewed—the Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire document for the 2022 Winter Olympics—is available online.

 

Mayor Walsh will have to provide all of the guarantees requested by the IOC by January 2017, the deadline for submitting candidature files and guarantee letters. Some of these guarantees will also have to be made earlier, i.e., by January 8, 2016, the deadline to submit application files and guarantee letters.

 

These guarantees may change, but it is important to note that Mayor Walsh proceeded with the bid with these guarantees in mind.

 

Here is a sample of the guarantees required by the IOC for 2022.

 

 

Guaranteeing the IOC control over the civic calendar:

 

Provide a declaration from the relevant authorities confirming that no other important national or international meeting or event will be taking place in the Host City itself or in its vicinity or in the other competition sites, during the Olympic Winter Games, or for one week immediately before or after the Games.

 

 

Guaranteeing that Boston 2024 can sign contracts on behalf of the city:

 

Provide a declaration from your city authorities confirming that the Bid Committee is empowered to represent the Candidate City and indicate the names of the persons and/or their titles who have the authority to sign contracts and other documents (such as the Undertaking and the Host City Contract), on behalf of the city.

 

 

Guaranteeing that the host city will protect the IOC from any cost overruns:

 

Guarantee to cover any potential economic shortfall of the (Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games), including refunds to the IOC of advances in payment or other contributions made by the IOC to the OCOG, which the IOC may have to reimburse to third parties in the event of any contingency such as full or partial cancellation of the Olympic Games.

 

 

Guaranteeing that the host city, state, or country will cover any financial issues in building an Olympic Village:

 

Provide (a) guarantee(s) for the financing of work from the relevant competent bodies, confirming the amount to be financed by them (amount in USD 2014 and percentage of total cost) for the construction of the Olympic Village.

 

Provide an underwriting from the local, regional or national government in the event of a shortfall in the financing of the Olympic Village.

 

 

Guaranteeing the financing of the Olympic venues:

 

Provide guarantees for the financing of work from the relevant competent bodies, confirming the amount to be financed by them (amount in 2014 USD figures and percentage of total cost of the venue(s)) and specifying for which venues.

 

 

Guaranteeing the creation of dedicated “Olympic Lanes”:

 

Guarantee for the delivery of Olympic Lanes, if applicable.

 

Describe the measures planned to facilitate Olympic Games traffic flow, punctuality and reliability, such as Olympic lanes*, as well as normal traffic restrictions.

 

*Olympic lane: “an Olympic lane is a continuous directional road lane dedicated to designated Olympic traffic during 15 hours or more per day”

 

 

Guaranteeing the IOC vending and advertising control:

 

Provide (a) written guarantee(s) from the relevant government authorities confirming that legislation will be passed as soon as possible but no later than 1 January 2020 as necessary to effectively reduce and sanction ambush marketing (e.g. preventing unauthorised third parties from associating directly and/or indirectly with the Games or the Olympic Movement for commercial and/or advertising purposes), and, during the period beginning two weeks before the Opening Ceremony to the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games and to eliminate street vending within the vicinity of Games venues, prevent un-authorised ticket resale, prevent un-authorised live sites or similar concepts, and control advertising space (e.g. billboards, advertising on public transport, etc.) as well as air space (to ensure no publicity is allowed in such airspace).

 

Provide a guarantee stating that binding options have been secured from relevant third parties for the acquisition of all existing or hereafter developed outdoor advertising space (e.g. billboards):

 

• at any premises of the Sites at which competitions or official events and activities of the Olympic Winter Games will be held as well as any neighbouring land and facilities up to five hundred metres in and around the perimeter of such Sites; and

• on public transport (e.g. buses, metro, trams, etc.) and adjacent parking facilities in the Host City and in cities having an operational role in the staging of the Olympic Winter Games (e.g. co-host cities, ports of entry, transport hubs (including indoor or outdoor advertising at airports)).

 

 

Guaranteeing hotel rooms for IOC officials and all relevant client groups:

 

Guarantees from individual hotels and accommodation buildings concerning room availability, room rates, minimum stay/room block waves, other price controls and binding contracts.

 

Guarantees of use, including possession and vacation dates, rental costs and financial guarantees for upgrades, for all existing buildings being used in the accommodation plan.

 

 

Guaranteeing that the IOC, International Federations, and National Olympic Committees will be exempted from customs duties:

 

Provide a guarantee from the relevant authorities, concerning the import, use and export of goods, including consumables, required by the IOC, IFs, NOCs and their delegations, broadcasters, written and photographic press, sponsors and suppliers, free of all customs duties, in order for them to carry out their obligations regarding the celebration of the Olympic Games.