Race heating up for 2012 Olympics

LONDON — After nearly two years of campaigning, five of the world's most celebrated cities are heading into the final month of their glamorous, high-stakes race for the 2012 Olympics.

And they're about to find out how they stack up — on paper at least.

Today marks the 30-day countdown to the July 6 vote in Singapore and coincides with the release of a key International Olympic Committee report evaluating the bids from Paris, London, New York, Madrid and Moscow.

The report won't grade or rank the candidates but will focus instead on technical criteria that might play only a minor role when the 100-plus IOC members cast their secret ballots. Still, a glowing assessment will give a city impetus going into the final stretch, while a negative review could all but kill a bid at this stage.

"It's very important," Paris bid leader Philippe Baudillon said. "It's necessary to have a very good technical score. The IOC can't take any risks."

The report is based on visits to the five cities in February and March by the IOC evaluation commission, headed by Morocco's Nawal el Moutawakel. It will cover issues such as venues, hotel accommodations, security, transportation, financing and public support.

Paris, considered the favorite from the start, still looks like the city to beat. London is pushing hard and shaping up as the main challenger. New York's bid is tied up in wrangling over a proposed stadium, Madrid is struggling to make an international impact and Moscow remains the long shot.

But IOC votes are unpredictable, with geopolitical factors and issues of self-interest often having a decisive impact. More than ever before, IOC members are keeping their preferences close to their chests.

"Nobody dares ask, 'Who are you voting for?"' Israeli IOC member Alex Gilady said. "You can't measure it. I have no idea how it will go."

A central issue could be simple numbers: Moscow last staged the summer games in 1980, the United States in 1996 (Atlanta) and Spain in 1992 (Barcelona). Paris, meanwhile, hasn't held the Olympics since 1924, and London since 1948.

"On a statistical basis, that's where people would be focusing," said senior IOC member Dick Pound of Canada.

The campaign has been conducted under strict IOC ethics rules enacted after the scandal over cash, scholarships and other inducements given to IOC members during Salt Lake City's winning bid for the 2002 Winter Games. Ten IOC delegates resigned or were expelled.