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One of the biggest changes seen so far has been the introduction of a new invitation phase to the candidature process for the Games, where potential candidate cities are invited to discuss their initial ideas with the IOC and receive various levels of assistance and feedback before officially committing to a bid. According to Lemaître, the addition of this new step enables the IOC to highlight that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for staging the Games, with potential candidate cities encouraged to investigate ways in which they can deliver an excellent event while also meeting the needs of the city and region to ensure the Games leave a positive, long-term, sustainable legacy. “From the very beginning of the new invitation phase, we stress the importance of legacy to those cities that may be interested in hosting the Games,” says Lemaître. “Approaching legacy from the very beginning means that we can be sure that the city wants the Games for the right purpose. The Games shouldn’t be seen in isolation, they should be part of a city’s and a country’s long-term vision. That is stressed in the invitation phase, and it’s also stressed in our candidature questionnaire.”Future host cities such as Rio de Janeiro, PyeongChang, Tokyo and Beijing have responded to this approach by placing legacy at the heart of their plans for the Games. The Olympic Games Rio 2016, for example, have helped accelerate 27 government initiatives in the areas of infrastructure, the environment and social improvement. The projects include the revitalisation of Rio de Janeiro’s historic port area, the extension of the metro system and the creation of a light rail transit service in the city centre. Other projects include sanitation improvements, anti-flood measures and the construction of educational facilities, while many of the sporting venues that have been built will also remain in use following the conclusion of the Games.“Since the start, when Rio de Janeiro won the right to host the Games, our plan was to invest in the legacy that would be left to the city,” says Pedro Paulo Teixeira, secretary of staff at Rio’s City Hall. “The construction projects are simple and efficient – nothing too far-fetched. Our focus is on the Games, but we are also thinking about the future.”Beijing, meanwhile, will make use of existing venues from the 2008 Summer Games when it hosts the Olympic Winter Games in 2022, with the National Aquatics Centre set to host the curling events, the National Indoor Stadium due to stage ice hockey, and the Opening and Closing ceremonies scheduled to once again take place at the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium.Just like in Lillehammer, these Olympic venues have been in constant use since they first staged the Games. And while Beijing must wait until 2022 to welcome Olympic events back to its venues, Lillehammer’s superb legacies have already enabled the Norwegian town to enjoy its second opportunity in the Olympic spotlight.“It is great to have major events going back to these venues, like we’re seeing in Beijing,” says Lemaître. “That’s fabulous, but what’s even more fabulous is to know that since the 2008 Games, these venues have been used as much as possible year in, year out – just as they have in Lillehammer since 1994.”Now, Lillehammer is looking to experience even more legacies from the 2016 Winter YOG, with organisers hoping to write a new Olympic history for Lillehammer and Norway. In addition to the new snow production infrastructure at Hafjell, the new freestyle venue and the updated ski jump profile at the iconic Lysgårdsbakken, the construction of the Youth Olympic Village – which was supported by a EUR 13.5 million contribution from the IOC – is set to provide student accommodation for generations to come. The new Olympic Legacy Centre will also help secure Lillehammer’s place as the home of international winter sports athletes, while the YOG has also led to the implementation of a 10-year plan to boost Norwegian youth sports.“Now the YOG have built on the foundations of 1994 and are helping add one more layer by bringing new legacies to the region,” says Dubi. “That was the strength of the vision for these YOG.”It’s clear that with similar visions in place, future host cities will also be able to reap the benefits of welcoming the Olympic Games. ■AboveRio de Janeiro’s public transport network map before (left, in 2009) and after redevelopment54 OLYMPIC REVIEW LEGACIES