PtG Article 02.10.2009

Ring of security around IOC in Copenhagen

Reporters kept away from the 106 voters in the election of the Olympics 2016.

The 1.400 media representatives from around the world, who are gathered in Denmark to cover IOC’s election of the host city for the Olympics 2016, are not only denied access to the official IOC-hotel in Copenhagen, The Marriot.

Reporters trying to cover the mega sport event at Bella Center in Copenhagen, where IOC’s 121st session and 13th congress are held, and the four Olympic candidate cities Madrid, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Chicago present their bids today, are kept away from the 106 IOC-members by hundreds of police officers and the numerous security staff.

“This is a consequence of the world media’s growing interest in the election. Already in Singapore in 2005, when London won the Olympics 2012, there where so many media representatives that it made it very difficult for both reporters and IOC-members”, says Morten Mølholm Hansen, head of communications in Denmarks Olympic Committee, who is hosting the event together with the IOC.

“But after the election of the host city late Friday we expect many media will leave Copenhagen. And from Saturday I believe the media as usual will get access to the IOC-members during the congress and the remaining part of the session”, says Morten Mølholm Hansen.