Munich eyed as potential 2018 Olympic candidate

German Olympic officials have ruled out a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics and backed Munich as a possible candidate for the 2018 Winter Games.

FRANKFURT, Germany — German Olympic officials have ruled out a bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics and backed Munich as a possible candidate for the 2018 Winter Games.
    Hamburg and Berlin had expressed interest in bidding for 2016 but the German Olympic Sports Union (DOSB) believes such a bid would have no chance of success, since the 2012 Games are also in Europe, in London.
    Munich's bid for the 2018 Winter Games would receive backing from the organization, which has the final say in picking a German candidate.
    ''We've come to the conclusion that we would be very positive toward a possible bid for the 2018 Winter Games by the city of Munich,'' DOSB president Thomas Bach said Tuesday.
    Last summer, city and tourism officials in Denver, Colorado, expressed their interest in hosting the 2018 Games, unveiling a partial plan that would involve events staged across the state. 
    Berlin mounted an unsuccessful bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics and Leipzig failed to get past the preliminary phase in its bid for the 2012 Games.
    Munich hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics which were marred by the Palestinian attack on the Israeli team.

    — The Associated Press