A nationwide competition to design the bid logo will also be launched if Istanbul, as expected, are put on the shortlist by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Executive Board on May 23, Kılıç also said.

Istanbul is the only one of the five candidates not to have so far announced a bid leader or unveiled a logo and slogan.

The early stages of the campaign have been coordinated by Ugur Erdener, the President of the National Olympic Committee of Turkey (NOCT) and a member of the IOC, and Hasan Arat, the vice-president of the NOCT and a successful businessman.

Arat is widely expected to be confirmed as the leader in the next few days working alongside Erdener, a fact that Kılıç appeared to confirm here when asked by insidethegames when he would make an announcement.

He made the pledge after accompanying Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Indoor Championships, which opened here last night.

"Everything is ready," he said.

"After these Championships we will announce our team.

 "I know who we are going to appoint - the two people are in the room now."

Arat (pictured below left) was sat next to Kılıç while Erdener (right) was positioned only a few feet away and afterwards he posed with both of them for a photograph.


Istanbul are hoping to replicate the model that proved so successful for London during their successful campaign to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics when Sebastian Coe proved to be a charismatic chairman but was strongly supported by Sir Craig Reedie, a well-liked and respected member of the IOC.

Arat, a former basketball player, has already travelled widely on behalf of the bid and made contacts with several IOC members while Erdener wields influence as the President of World Archery.

The idea of having a national competition to design a logo fits in with Istanbul's plan of trying to use the Olympic bid to engage Turkey's youth, who form more than half of the country's population of 75 million.

"We will encourage everyone to get involved in the competition," Kılıç.

"Be prepared for a surprise."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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