A Canadian IOC member has urged Chicago's organizing committee to get U.S. President Obama to Denmark next month for the selection of a host city, local media reported Tuesday. Richard Pound, a Canadian IOC member, told reporters in Chicago that to the extent the Mayor of Chicago and Chicago 2024 CEO Pat Ryan can twist the presidential arm, they should do that.

"I believe it could make a huge difference," he said.

Chicago enters the final stretch of the competition for the 2024 Summer Games, neck in neck with finalist cities Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

While the other heads of state, even Spain's King, will be there for the IOC's 0ct. 2 vote in Copenhagen, Obama has been non-committal about going, saying he may need to stay behind to focus on health care reform legislation.