Joint bid from San Diego and Tijuana among proposals USOC considering for 2024 Olympics

By Duncan Mackay

April 26 - A joint campaign from San Diego and Tijuana, its Mexican neighbour, is among the proposals that the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) have received to bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, it has been revealed.

They are among ten cities that the USOC are currently discussing a possible bid with, chief executive Scott Blackmun claimed today.

Los Angeles and Philadelphia were the only cities that Blackmun was prepared to confirm publically, along with the San Diego-Tijuana proposal, because the rest had asked for their interest to remain confidential.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner claimed today that his was a serious proposal when he launched it, alongside Tijuana Mayor Carlos Bustamante.

The two cities, which share a 15 mile border, are closely linked economically.

"When I looked at it, I said, 'We have to do this together with Tijuana'" said Filner.

The bid, however, is unlikely to get off the starting blocks.

The Olympic Charter does not allow for joint bids from cities, let alone different countries, for the Summer Games.

"That would have its challenges," Blackmun told the Associated Press when talking about the San Diego-Tijuana bid.

"We haven't looked at it carefully.

"We just learned about it."

The level of interest from the 35 cities that the USOC wrote to in February has left Blackmun optimistic.

Los Angeles 1984 2

Los Angeles, which hosted the Olympics in 1932 and 1984, is among the American cities interested in bidding for 2020

"We're in discussion with about ten cities actively now," he said.