Buenos Aires could bid for 2032 Olympics, says IOC president

BUENOS AIRES - Buenos Aires has the capability to be an Olympic host following the "outstanding success" of the youth Olympic Games here, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Thursday.

In his closing press conference Bach said that the local organizers of the 2018 YOG staged a Games that was "impressive and touching", adding that it had "exceeded all our expectations".

"After this outstanding success of these Youth Olympic Games, I could not see anybody in the IOC having any doubt about the capability of Argentina and Buenos Aires to organize an excellent Olympic Games," Bach said.

But Gerardo Werthein, President of the Buenos Aires 2018 Organising Committee and an IOC member, voiced against an immediate foray into an Olympic bid before the Youth Olympics here had been fully analysed.

"We have to digest and see what lessons are learned from these Games but we have to start thinking if Argentinians want this, if there is consensus, and if we have the economic resources," Werthein said.

"If we all agree that this is a good step for Argentina then we have to sit down, organise, take a look at the budget and make decisions.

"I'm very honored to see that the IOC sees Buenos Aires as a candidate but we are the ones who have to make this decision."

Australia, Germany, Indonesia and India have all publicly stated interest in hosting the 2032 Olympics.