London, Dec 7 : After watching English politician Tony Blair win the IOC votes for the London Olympics, Chicago is now hopeful that President-elect Barack Obama will be able to swing the 2016 Games their way.

Chicago, which is Obama’s adopted city, has won his favour, and he has committed to a visit to Copenhagen in October next year, when the IOC will vote.

“I can think of no better place to hold the 2016 Games than in this most American of America’s cities,” Times Online quoted Obama as saying.

Along with hopes of the Games happening in the United States, are the hopes of the baseball community, which is also lobbying Obama to help to put the sport back on to the Olympic roster.

Obama’s sporting interests include American football and “soccer”, which he played in his early years in Indonesia.

The US is one of England’s rivals in the race to host the 2018 World Cup finals and Obama is expected to lend his support to the campaign.

His interest in football is even said to extend to a connection with West Ham United, although that has been revealed to be based on nothing more than one visit some years ago. (ANI)