Illinois U.S. Representative Bobby Rush says the African members of the International Olympic Committee could play a major role in picking the 2016 host city. Rush says one reason New York City did not win the 2012 Olympic bid was because it didn’t make an appeal to the African members.
He says Chicago could have an advantage.
RUSH: There are 100,000 African students and professionals who live within the greater Chicago area. These people send something like $40 million a year back to their home countries.
Rush hosted African ambassadors last week and made a case for the Chicago 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Other bid cities include Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid. The IOC will pick the host city on October 2.