Let the political Games begin

SPORT and politics converge in a potent mix today with the credibility of the US President on the line as International Olympic Committee (IOC) members choose the venue for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The stakes could hardly be higher when more than 100 IOC members gathering at Copenhagen’s Bella Convention Centre to choose between the rival bids of Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

Though the contest has long been regarded by most Olympic experts as the closest ever, with four potential winners in the field, there is no doubt the Obama factor weighs heavily.