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Car bombings in Turkey raise concerns about 2020 Olympics bid

Organizers of Istanbul's bid for the 2020 Olympics say safety and security are their "utmost priority" following the twin bombing attacks on a Syrian border town.

Istanbul bidding, along with Madrid, Tokyo

The Associated Press ·
Damaged buildings along the street littered with debris from one of the Saturday explosions that killed 46 and injured about 50 others, in Reyhanli, near Turkey's border with Syria, Sunday, May 12, 2013. The twin car bombings on Saturday marked the biggest incident of cross-border violence since the start of Syria's bloody civil war and has the raised fear of Turkey being pulled deeper into the conflict.(AP Photo)

Organizers of Istanbul's bid for the 2020 Olympics say safety and security are their "utmost priority" following the twin bombing attacks on a Syrian border town.

Turkey has blamed Syria for Saturday's car bombings that killed at least 46 people in Reyhanli, a main hub for Syrian refugees and rebels.

The town is about 700 miles southeast of Istanbul, which is competing against Madrid and Tokyo for the 2020 Games. The IOC will select the host city Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Istanbul bid committee offered condolences Monday to victims of this "rare and isolated attack" and said "we must reiterate that safety and security are the utmost priority of Istanbul 2020."

The statement adds that Turkey has a "very strong safety and security record" in hosting international sports events.

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