Washington, Oct 2 (DPA) US President Barack Obama departs for Copenhagen to make a final pitch on behalf of the city of Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Obama will address the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of its planned announcement Friday of the winning city. The four finalists are Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.
“He’s gonna make an appeal, on behalf of all of America, to showcase America to the world in 2016,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said hours before the president’s departure.
Obama is due to arrive in Copenhagen early Friday to meet with the IOC. First Lady Michelle Obama, a native of Chicago, arrived in Denmark earlier this week to lobby for Chicago.
The secret ballot vote is expected to be a tight one, although Rio de Janeiro and Chicago are believed to be favoured over the other two competitors.
rounak