An African nation has never hosted an Olympics, but that could change several years down the road.
A South Africa bid for the Olympics is “definitely coming” for 2024 or 2028, according to The Associated Press, quoting South Africa Olympic Committee president Sam Ramsamy.
Ramsamy said he will talk to the nation’s government about a potential bid in April or May.
This comes four months after Ramsamy also said a South African bid was coming, but he didn’t mention a specific year then.
“My personal view is 2028,” Ramsamy told Around The Rings in July. “I think most of the cities are already lining up (for 2024) with Paris, a city from the USA looking at it and Qatar definitely.”
Back then, bid talk was put on the backburner given Nelson Mandela‘s health.
South Africa, which became the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010, was barred from the Olympics from 1964 to 1988 because of apartheid. It returned in 1992 and had its most successful Games since in London with six medals, including three gold.
That Africa has never hosted an Olympics would go a long way in boosting any bid from the continent. Rio de Janeiro won the bidding for the 2016 Olympics to become the first South American country to host.
The U.S. Olympic Committee may bid on the 2024 Olympics.
USOC chairman Larry Probst said 2024 Olympic bidding will be talked about at USOC meetings in December, when a timetable for the selection of a city could be created. Bidding for the 2024 Olympic host begins in 2015, and the IOC will vote in 2017.
Probst said in September that if the USOC decides to bid, which would not be until 2014, that it will come from “not a long list of cities, realistically.”
Trio of experts from #USOlympicCommittee visits three cities in search for a candidate to host #2024Olympics. #Boston, #Philly, #Washington.
— Around the Rings (@aroundtherings) November 14, 2013
Other cities being scrutinized for #2024Olympic bid by roving team from #USOC. #LosAngeles,#SanDiego,#SFO,#Dallas.
— Around the Rings (@aroundtherings) November 15, 2013
