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St. Petersburg, Russia • Less than four months before the IOC vote, the three cities vying for the 2020 Olympics took their campaign to a key international audience on Thursday with each claiming to be the safest and most financially secure choice at a time of global uncertainty.
Officials from Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo made presentations to the SportAccord conference in St. Petersburg, their first chance to pitch their bids in public to sports and Olympic officials.
With speeches and videos, officials promised compact games, packed venues and convenient transportation. They're hoping to gain momentum in a race that will culminate with the vote on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The IOC evaluation commission will issue a report on June 25 assessing the three bids.