South African officials are discussing bidding to host the 2020 Olympics, capitalising on the investment in the country's sports infrastructure for next year’s World Cup.
The Iol.co.za website reports that sports and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile said after a meeting about World Cup preparations that progress on that project meant the country had more confidence in resubmitting a bid to host the Olympics.
Cape Town lost out to Athens in the final round of the host bidding process for the 2004 Summer Games.
Durban has expressed interest in hosting the event, by saying that the Moses Mabhida stadium being built there for the World Cup could be expanded to 85,000 spectators for 2020, if required.
However the Recreation Minister’s spokeswoman Lerato Mogorosi said the issue had not yet been put before the cabinet.
“The bid only opens at the 2012 Olympics in London,” she said.
“It is not confirmed but it is being seriously discussed by the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee.”
