San Diego-Tijuana bid for ’24 Olympics may be instant loser
Like a runner who falls face first before leaving the starting blocks, the idea of a joint San Diego-Tijuana bid for the 2024 Olympics may be an instant loser.
According to the Associated Press, Christopher Sullivan, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s chief of protocol and bids, called a liaison with San Diego Mayor Bob Filner on Tuesday to say the International Olympic Committee charter does not allow for bordering countries to host Summer Games, said USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky.
“There’s no opportunity for them to bid together,” Sandusky said. Just last week, the USOC was said to be looking at the idea of a San Diego-Tijuana bid but further research found the rule prohibiting such a bid, he said.
Filner has touted the idea of a joint bid as an ideal way to use sports to promote the spirit of bi-national cooperation. Filner and Tijuana Mayor Carlos Bustamante are in the process of putting together a committee to prepare a bid.
After hearing of the USOC announcement, Filner was undaunted. Rules can be changed, said Filner, a Democrat elected in November.
“The true spirit of the Olympics embodies my conviction that we should vigorously pursue the dream of having two countries host the Olympics in the greatest bi-national region of the world,” Filner said.
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