(ATR) The IOC Executive Board recommended that Calgary, Milan/Cortina, and Stockholm be confirmed as candidate cities for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Erzurum, Turkey was dropped by the executive board in its quest to become an Olympic host city. IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. said that the "level of investment" needed from Erzurum was too high to justify including it in the candidature phase.
"[The investment is] very high to the point that we believe that it can be done, certainly can be done, but probably it will be easier if they have more time to do it," Samaranch Jr. said at a press conference. "They have not much experience and it is probably more reasonable that they organize events from the international federations, and continue to learn and continue to invest."
The upcoming IOC Session will still have to confirm the nomination of the three cities before the candidature phase can officially begin. Once the phase starts, the three cities will have until January to produce formal bid books.
The IOC will vote on the 2026 host city at a session that is to be decided because the Olympic Charter forbids voting on an Olympic host in that same country. Right now, Milan is scheduled to host the 2019 IOC Session.
"The new situation has given three candidates the flexibility they need to build reasonable projects with perfect legacies for the territories, so this has been successful," Samaranch said of the decision. "There is not one single proposal of villages or sporting infrastructure that is not directly and undisputedly linked to future use and legacy."
The three candidates remaining in the process all come from "traditional" winter sport locations, a decision that squares with IOC President Thomas Bach’s past comments about the IOC’s desire for the outcome of the process. However, there remains considerable risk associated with each bid.
Calgary must survive a plebiscite on Nov. 13, where voters could easily reject the project via the ballot box. So far, two regions in Switzerland as well as Innsbruck, Austria have voted against bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Samaranch said that he would tell voters in Calgary that organizing the Olympics is a "tremendous opportunity," to inspire the community and its youth. He said that only two venues would need to be built, and that the project is "safe and doable".
"There is no infrastructure [built] that will not be used for the Games," Samaranch said. "The budget will be self-sustaining; the IOC ticketing plus local sponsors will pay 100 percent of the budget at least."
Sweden is currently in the process of forming a national government after a September election that divided its parliament without a clear majority. The bid says it has broad consensus from the major left and right wing parties, including the interim government.
Samaranch did not offer much insight into the project, but said the bid had nearly all infrastructure already built, and a plan was in place for the remaining venues.
Italy’s bid of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo was shortlisted after the finalized project was presented to the IOC in the last few weeks. Originally, the bid was conceived as a three city project with Cortina, Milan, and Turin sharing hosting responsibilities. Turin dropped out of the bid due to inter-governmental squabbling, and Italy quickly submitted a bid from Cortina and Milan. Still, questions remain about distribution of funding from the different levels of government.
"Of course we have to discuss a lot on financing, but Rome is supporting and the powerful regional government is fully supporting and the local government is very excited about the Games," Samaranch said. "We are very excited that the Italians can deliver."
Written by Aaron Bauer
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