Speaking at a reception at the Federal Chancellery to celebrate Germany’s outstanding performance at the Olympics in Vancouver earlier this year, where they came second in the medals table with 30 medals, including ten gold, Merkel re-emphasised that she is fully backing the bid by Munich to become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

She said: "We will work together to bring the Games to Germany, and will continue to do all we can to support the German application."

Merkel's public hearing will act as a filip to Willy Bogner, the chief executive of Munich 2018, who is here with managing director Bernhard Schwank, to digest the lessons of Vancouver.

Munich's rivals, Annecy and Pyeongchang, are also here.

Bogner said: "After the resounding success of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, there are certainly many lessons we can take from the staff at VANOC.

"I have great admiration for the fantastic atmosphere they created and sustained during the Games - there was a real buzz among the supporters throughout.

"Hopefully we will be able to incorporate some of the best practices VANOC used into our bid concept of the ‘Friendly Games,’ and take it even further, so that we can be sure that Munich 2018 would offer the best fan experience of any Winter Games in history."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
May 2010: New Munich 2018 sponsor underlines green credentials
May 2010: Wunderbar weekend of sport despite Champions League defeat claims Munich 2018
May 2010: Munich 2018 open Bid office in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
May 2010: Munich 2018 appoints Bruckner as new marketing director
May 2010: Germany's Interior Minister joins Munich 2018 Board