Seven cities in 2016 Olympics race

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee has confirmed the reception of seven bids to host the 2016 summer Olympics.   

The bidding cities in the race are: Chicago, Prague, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Baku, Doha and Madrid.   

The responses will now be studied by an IOC-appointed working group and by the IOC Executive Board, the latter meeting in June to decide which cities will be accepted as official candidates.   

The cities selected as candidates will take part in an Observer Programme at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games this summer.   

The election of the 2016 host city will take place in Copenhagen on October 2, 2009.