Reuters reports that Chicago was praised for the compact area within which it would host the Games, including its centrally-located Olympic village.
The Sports Features Communications news service reports that the report expressed concerns that Chicago had failed to provide full guarantees for the financing of its athletes’ village, and covering a potential shortfall in sponsorship and commercial revenues.
The Chicago budget was described as “ambitious but achievable”.
Tokyo was also praised for a compact venue plan, efficient transport system, and $3.7 billion fund which has already been set aside.
However the Japanese city was criticised for its low level of public support, a lack of clarity over which venues would need to be constructed, and its small athletes’ village.
Rio de Janeiro received praise for its finance and development plans, and efforts to make the city safer.
However the report expressed concerns over travel between the four zones that the city plans to spread the event across, and noted that the city’s hosting of the football World Cup only two years before the Olympics would pose a marketing and communications “challenge”.
The IOC was impressed with the public backing for the Madrid bid, but expressed concerns about its administration. It said the bid “did not demonstrate a full understanding of the need for clear delineation of roles and responsibilities, including financial, between different stakeholders to ensure an efficient and timely transition to the [organising committee], or of the management of operations required to implement the Games vision, concept and plans.”
The IOC warned “this could result in organizational and financial challenges.”
