Reports: Berlin marks withdrawal from Germany’s race to host summer Olympics

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is set to decide on Saturday which region it will back in a bid to the International Olympic Committee for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Games. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Berlin has pulled out of Germany’s race to host a future Summer Olympics, leaving Munich and the Rhine/Ruhr region as the only remaining candidates, local media reported on Wednesday.

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is set to decide on Saturday which region it will back in a bid to the International Olympic Committee for the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Games.

Berlin was one of four initial bidders but chose to withdraw ahead of the DOSB vote, according to public broadcaster RBB; city officials were not immediately available for comment but have scheduled a press conference for Thursday.

Hamburg had already exited the process after a public consultation in May produced an unfavourable result.

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Although Berlin reaffirmed its interest in hosting as recently as May, its stance appears to have shifted following Sunday’s city elections, with Die Linke’s lead candidate Elif Eralp, who topped the polls, stating she does not support an Olympic bid.

On Tuesday, a DOSB evaluation panel rated the Munich and Rhine/Ruhr proposals strongly, while placing Berlin’s bid third.

Germany has hosted the Summer Olympics twice: Berlin in 1936 under Nazi rule, and Munich in 1972 as part of West Germany.