For 2012, nine prestigious cities submitted their candidatures by 15 July 2003 through their respective NOCs: in alphabetical order, Havana (Cuba), Istanbul (Turkey), Leipzig (Germany), London (Great Britain), Madrid (Spain), Moscow (Russian Federation), New York (USA), Paris (France) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
These cities then began the candidature procedure - which, since the reforms of December 1999, is done in two phases - enabling the IOC to examine the cities' capacities to host the Games and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the plans submitted.
The first phase lasts about ten months. The so-called Applicant Cities are all required to answer a questionnaire with 25 questions, which provides the IOC with an overview of each city's proposed plans to host the Olympic Games.
A working group comprising external experts and IOC administration members then assesses the applications in order to determine the cities' potential to organise the event. This technical evaluation includes the areas of government support, public opinion, general infrastructure, security, venues, accommodation and transport. The IOC Executive Board then decides which cities are to be accepted as Candidate Cities.
The five cities retained on 18 May 2004 (in order of drawing of lots: Paris, New York, Moscow, London and Madrid) thus began the second phase of the procedure, with the first appointment being to submit a detailed Candidature File to the IOC six months later.
This crucial period is followed by the study and analysis of each File by the IOC Evaluation Commission and continues with the Commission's evaluation visits in each city. Following these visits, the Commission will communicate the results of its evaluation in a written report, which will be sent to the IOC members and made public no later than one month before the opening ceremony of the 117th Session in Singapore. In this report the Commission conducts a technical evaluation of all the cities in a number of areas critical to the successful organisation of the Olympic Games.
The Singapore Session will be the home straight for the five Cities, with the much-awaited moment: the election of the host city of the 2012 Games by the IOC members on 6 July 2005. The announcement of the winning city is expected to be made around 7 p.m. (GMT+8)
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