Hamburg residents show more support than Berlin for 2024 bid

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) Hamburg has won the first round in the 2024 Olympic bidding contest in Germany.

There was more public support from Hamburg residents (64 percent) than from Berlin citizens (55 percent) for a bid, Germany's national Olympic committee said on Tuesday following a survey.

The Forsa telephone poll involved 1,500 residents in each city. The margin of error was 2.5 percentage points.

''We are delighted with the huge acceptance of Olympic and Paralympic Games,'' NOC president Alfons Hoermann said.

The German committee's board will recommend one of the cities on Monday, with the formal decision made on March 21 by the full assembly of the NOC.

The results of the poll could influence the recommendation.

Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz said the poll results ''were a great compliment,'' and the city would be ''very honored'' to bid for the games.

Either city will hold a referendum on the bid if selected.

Boston and Rome are the only two declared bids so far.