Warsaw is ready to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, seven years earlier than the International Olympic Committee (IOC) starts considering official bids.

The secretary-general of the Polish Olympic Committee, Janusz Tatera, said on Monday: "We want to promote Poland and sports competition. One of Warsaw's strategic long-term goals is to host the summer Olympics."

Tatera said the Olympic Committee has learned its lesson from failing to host the 2006 Winter Games at the mountain resort of Zakopane.

"It is essential to start early," he said.

The next Olympics will be held at Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. The IOC will not award the 2008 Games for two years and will not take nominations for the 2016 event until 2007.