Munich Bid Draws Fire from Greens
The Green Party in the Bavarian Parliament is forming an opposition campaign to the Munich bid for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
A Munich newspaper reports that Greens parliamentarian Ludwig Hartmann is calling for a Jan. 11 meeting to plan the next steps. Hartmann says that other members of the Green Party are behind the effort.
Environmental concerns are said to be the objection from Hartmann and colleagues. Hartmann says if the bid cannot make changes to the liking of the Greens, the opposition group will seek to block the Games from coming to Bavaria.
The Munich bid calls for the arena events to be held in the city and the snow events some 90 minutes away in the resort area of Garmisch Partenkirchen.
Along with Munich, the French Alpine city of Annecy and PyeongChang, South Korea are making bids for 2018. So far, Munich is the only one of the three attracting opposition.
Russian Leaders Ski at Sochi Venue
Russia’s president and prime minister spent their New Year holidays at the Sochi 2014
Winter Olympic skiing venue in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains.
Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin were filmed skiing and snowmobiling on the slopes of the resort, which will host alpine skiing events at the 2014 Olympics.
Medvedev attracted some criticism for not wearing a safety helmet while skiing. But Putin wore a helmet.
The publicity stunt gave Games organizers an early boost in a year that will see construction reach its peak on Olympic works to prepare coastal and mountain venues.
The pair also spent some of their holidays skiing at the resort last year.
In December, Putin met with IOC president Jacques Rogue to discuss the Sochi Olympics, assuring him that the government was fully committed to the development plan for the Games.
Kuwait “Temporarily” Suspended from IOC
Kuwaiti media is reporting Kuwait is “temporarily” suspended from the Olympic Movement.
The Public Authority of Youth and Sport reportedly received a letter from the IOC that said until Kuwait’s laws were amended to be in compliance with the Olympic Charter, the country would be suspended from the movement.
The report says the letter apparently came from IOC President Jacques Rogge and arrived on Jan. 1.
Current laws breach the Olympic Charter by allowing the government to interfere with elections of sports federations.
Written by Mark Bisson, Ed Hula and Ed Hula III.
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