2014 Olympics: residents of Hamburg refuse to nominate their city in referendum

The citizens of Hamburg (GER) have said no to their city's bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2024 in a referendum organised by the municipality, with 51.7% of "no" votes, announced the statistical office of Hamburg on 29/11/2015.

"Hamburg will not host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. I would have preferred a different decision, but it is clear and we must accept the decision," said Olaf Scholz, the mayor of the city. The candidacy, ratified by the German Olympic Committee on 21/03/2015, has officially been withdrewn. Hamburg had earlier been the preferred German city, to Berlin, to bid for the Olympics.

"The opportunity to give new perspectives to the German sports has not been offered to the next generation. (...) The Olympic spirit will certainly not be seen in Germany yet," said Alfons Hörmann, president of German Olympic Committee. A similar referendum had rejected the city of Munich's bid for the Winter Olympics in 2018 (which will take place Pyeongchang, South Korea). The four cities that remain in the race for the organisation of the 2024 Olympic Games are Los Angeles…