May 17 - Public opinion polls will not affect the race to host the 2016 Games, a number of prominent International Olympic Committee (IOC) members have claimed.

Earlier this month officials in Madrid revealed that an official poll conducted by the IOC showed that support for their bid to follow London and host the 2016 Olympics was 85 per cent.

In contrast, Tokyo have been trying to repair the damage caused by claims that their public support is only 56 per cent.

Chicago's is reportedly 67 per cent, 10 per cent lower than the figure quoted in their official bid document.

No figures are available Rio de Janeiro, the other city bidding to host the Games, but all be made public in the IOC's Evaluation Commission report when it is published on September 2, a month before the IOC vote at its Session in Copenhagen.

But several IOC members have told the Chicago Tribune that the results are unlikely to swing the race one way or another.

Richard Carrion of Puerto Rico, the influential head of the IOC Finance Commission, told the newspaper: ""In my view, it is generally not much of a factor except in the extremes, i.e., if there is overwhelming support or a sizable and organized opposition to the Games.

"A city doesn't want to be at the bottom of the list by a large margin."

He was supported by IOC member Willi Kaltschmitt of Guatemala.

Kaltschmitt told the Tribune the level of public support is "important but it is not really a factor that can make or break a bid. It is just one of the measurements the [IOC] evaluation commission makes, and we consider them all.

"A community can have 100 percent support, but that won't help if it is not good in other areas like finance or environment."

Canada's Becki Scott said: "I think over 50 percent is probably a strong enough number for a bid city to go into the election with high hopes.

"There are so many other factors that go into it.