The recommendation, calling for a list of figures to be "created and monitored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)", is due to be debated during the Extraordinary Session here tomorrow and Tuesday (December 9). 

It is part of a third recommendation, entitled "Reducing the cost of Bidding".

All consultants involved in Olympic bidding will also have to formally accept the IOC Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct as a prerequisite for listing in the register, it is proposed.

This comes at a time when there is much concern over the cost of bidding for the Games, as shown this year by a disastrous 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic contest in which four of the six initial contenders have withdrawn, due mainly to a combination of cost and public opposition.

Similar concerns exist for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic race, with the IOC keen to ensure a larger number of cities interested, as well an improvement on the negative perceptions about the bidding process increasingly prevalent in some parts of the world.

Concerns over consultancy is one aspect of these fears, with the supposedly secretive nature of some bid advisers, as well as discrepancies between what different advisers are charging for similar services, two elements.

The supposedly "closed" and "secretive" nature of some consultants has contributed to the apathy towards Olympic bids in some parts of the world, such as in Norway ©Facebook



Because some bidding cities are less experienced in general costs for Games, one city could be spending around $80,000 (£51,000/€65,000) per month on a communication consultancy company, for example, while another is only spending $10,000 (£7,000/€6,400) per month for a very similar service, it is claimed. 

Companies hired to produce Bid Books and Bid Videos, as well as lobbyists, or International Relations consultants, also attract large fees.

This is thought to be a particular worry of IOC President Thomas Bach, who is keen to create a common guideline so bidding cities are more aware when making decisions over who to hire.

Although it is not expected that cities will be compelled to only hire consultants recognised by the IOC, it is hoped that if the recommendation is passed, the register will act as a guideline to help create more uniformity.

"It's a great idea," Jon Tibbs, chairman of Jon Tibbs Associates (JTA), told insidethegames today.

Tibbs, who worked on Sochi's successful bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, added: "We first raised this four years ago at a conference in London.

"I'm delighted to see something JTA have been championing for some time on the Agenda.

"I think the IOC should be in a position to provide guidelines and a certain set of criteria to make cities more aware of discrepancies in pricing."

Candidates in the 2022 Olympic race, a contest which began with six contenders but now consists of only Almaty and Beijing, were warned against the unmitigated hiring of consultants at the beginning of the process ©Beijing 2022



Other leading consultants have also backed the proposal.

"I welcome it as a really positive development, said Mike Lee, head of strategic communications company Vero who has worked with successful Olympic bids for Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018, as well as Qatar's controversial bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 

"It would be a useful way of creating both recognition and a framework of advisers to properly work with bids and should be a very positive addition to the bidding world."

Terrence Burns, managing director of Teneo Strategy, who served on winning Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 bids, added: "Anything that should professionalise all practices would be a good thing.

"I think generally it's a good idea and people who are competent and professional should be rewarded.

"I am not sure about how regulation over pricing because we should work in a free market, it should be more about professional competency.

"But let's wait and see."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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