The Monterrey 2018 delegation included bid chairman Jose Antonio Hernandez Griego and director of the Youth Ministry office in Monterrey, Tania E Arrambide (both pictured, with Rana), who know the support of millionaire Rana is crucial.

As well as heading up PASO, 79-year-old Rana, from Mexico City, is President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board member.

His various positions make him the most important and influential figure in South America's Olympic Movement and his meeting with Monterrey 2018 came just ahead of the 2011 Pan American Games.

"Monterrey is a great city, with a very strong economy, and there is no doubt they can make a strong bid for the 2018 Youth Olympics," Rana told insidethegames.

"It would be very good for the city and very good for Mexico."

His comments will be a huge boost to Monterrey 2018 and chairman Griego said: "We have reinvented and started a new path in search of a long-cherished Olympic dream, and from this moment we will work hard on obtaining the Youth Olympics in 2018."

Monterrey will be strong contenders for the 2018 competition.

The city originally sought to stage the 2014 Youth Olympics, but the Mexican Olympic Committee selected Guadalajara as Mexico's bidding city.

Guadalajara later pulled out of the race - eventually won by Nanjing in China – because of the cost of hosting the 2011 Pan American Games, but Monterrey will be hoping a successful event in Guadalajara will show the IOC the country can stage high-profile, multisport events.

The city faces stiff competition for the 2018 Games, with the Argentinean capital Buenos Aires set to bid.

Glasgow may also move to host the event.

Other potential bidders include Medellín in Colombia, Kazan in Russia, The Hague in the Netherlands, Abuja in Nigeria and Makhachkala, in Dagestan, a neighbour of Chechnya.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have until March 1, 2012, to name a Candidate City to the IOC before submitting the Candidature File and other documents by October 15, 2012.

This will be followed by a two-month examination of the replies by IOC and experts.

The IOC Executive Board will announce the shortlist of Candidate Cities in January 2013 and additional questions will be asked to shortlisted candidates the following month.

In March 2013, there will be video conferences between the bid committees and the IOC Evaluation Commission, and the crucial report on the Candidate Cities from the Commission will emerge in May 2013

Finally, in June 2013, the IOC will vote on the host city for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne during the 2020 IOC members' information briefing.

Contact the writer of this article at [email protected]


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