Olympics: Bubka backs Germany’s planned Olympic bid

POLE-vault legend Sergey Bubka has backed Germany’s planned bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games with Hamburg and Berlin both vying to be chosen as the host city.

“The country is famous for it’s love of sport and is one of the most successful countries in the Olympic Games,” Bubka, an executive member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), told German magazine Sport-Bild.

“An Olympics would surely have a positive effect on sports in Germany.”

The 51-year-old Ukrainian is a six-time world champion and is Sebastian Coe’s rival for the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

In March, Germany’s Olympic Committee will decide whether Hamburg or Berlin will be chosen as their host city candidate to bid for the 2024 or 2028 Olympic Games, should the earlier bid fail.

A referendum must then take place in the respective city so the local population can approve a possible bid.