By Tom Degun in Barcelona

Katarina_Witt_in_Barcelona_at_conference_March_10_2March 11 - Katarina Witt, the double Olympic skating champion and the chair of Munich 2018, claims her team has done everything possible, if not more, to win the right to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.


The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission completed their inspection of the city earlier this month with chair of the Commission, Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden, praising the city and its people for a "big enthusiasm" towards the Games.

"We have developed a very compact concept so we have the minimum distances and the maximum atmosphere and we have an idea of what the atmosphere could be like when we invite the world with open arms to our Festival of Friendship," Witt told insidethegames here at the Global Sports Forum Barcelona

Munich marked the end of the IOC Evaluation Commission visits following inspections of the other two 2018 candidates, Annecy of France and Pyeongchang in South Korea, last month and Witt feels Munich 2018 have given everything they possibly can in their bid to host the competition with the IOC Session set to make a decision on the location of the Games in Durban on July 6.

"We have done everything possible, if not more, to win the bid," said Witt.

"The whole team have put in all the effort you can possibly think of and I am very proud of all of them.

"The IOC Evaluation Commission has really highlighted the strengths of our bid and I think it is very clear to them that athletes have been a major part of our plans because the Games in Munich are designed for the athletes.

"I think we also made it clear to the IOC that there will be no 'white elephants' after Munich 2018 which is something they do not want to see at all.

"We took them to some of the venues for the Munich 1972 Summer Olympics to show the fantastic legacy from those Games that still exists and to show how the 2018 Games can re-energise Germany with state-of-the-art training venues.

"In Munich, you a very knowledgeable crowd, a track record of hosting great events and a real legacy for a great city so something very special to offer the Olympic Movement."

The bid race is about to enter a more critical phase with Pyeongchang currently thought to be leading the way - but Witt said that Munich 2018 are simply focusing on what they can do rather than worrying about their rivals.

"You don't really try to compare with others even though you are both fighting for the same goal," she said.

"It is like when you are an athlete; you do look at the competition and you are aware of it but you focus on your own strengths and that is what we are doing too.

"We have not hosted the Olympic Winter Games for 80 years so this is definitely a good time for the Olympic Movement and the Winter Games to recharge the batteries."

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