The race for the 2020 Olympics will come down to a contest between Madrid, Tokyo and Istanbul after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rejected the bids of Doha (Qatar) and Baku(Azerbaijan). Both cities had failed to make the cut for the 2016Games.
Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul, all former bidders, advanced to the final phase, a 17-month race that will end with the IOC vote onSeptember 7, 2013, in Buenos Aires.
The Executive Board, chaired by IOC President Jacques Rogge, chose the finalists after examining a technical evaluation report compiled by a panel of Olympic experts. The board then voted on each candidate.
According to the Associated Press, the board voted unanimously in favor of Tokyo and Madrid (at 12-0) and supported Istanbul by 11-1. The vote was 0-12 for Baku and 3-9 for Doha.
