BUDAPEST, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Noting that the International Olympic Committee expects US President Barack Obama, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, Spanish King Juan Carlos, and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama all to appear in Copenhagen to lobby for their respective cities, Hungarian IOC member Pal Schmitt called the gathering "unprecedented."

    In a Thursday statement published on the Hungarian National Olympic Committee website, Schmitt said that he personally had analyzed all four cities and found that three of them, Chicago, Tokyo, and Madrid could be ready to hold the Games by next year, and even Rio de Janeiro had seven years to prepare, having submitted excellent designs.

    Whichever of the four is chosen, athletes can be certain of perfect conditions and an outstanding Olympics, Schmitt said.

    He noted that much had changed in the world of sports between the 12 Olympic Congress, held in 1994 and the 13th, set to begin on Thursday in the Danish capital. The fact that UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is delivering the opening address illustrates how much more important sports have become to all of society, Schmitt said.

    The congress will focus on the health of Olympic athletes and on assisting them when their sports careers are over.

    The IOC meeting, being held in parallel with the Congress, is focusing on new reforms, based on an analysis of the Beijing Games. It will consider eliminating some sports from the Olympic program and adding others, such as women's boxing and a 200-meter kayak event. It is also contemplating new sports such as golf and rugby, he said.

    The IOC will vote on the venue for the 2016 Games on Friday. There are 115 IOC members and the vote is expected to be very close.

    Hungary's Schmitt and Tamas Ajan, President of the International Weightlifting Federation, are IOC members and will attend both the Congress and the IOC meeting.