(ATR) The President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is not discouraged by the latest events in the bidding race for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2026.
"As we do understand the disappointment of those involved in the Calgary bid, we believe we have two very strong candidates in cities and countries passionate about winter sports and used to hosting major events," Andrew Parsons tells Around the Rings.
The Brazilian Paralympic leader is in Tokyo this week, invited to the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).
After Calgary voters turned a thumbs down to a bid in a referendum earlier this month, Stockholm and Milan/Cortina are the only remaining candidates in the 2026 bid race.
Both cities will make the first of only two international presentations at the ANOC General Assembly on Thursday. Milan’s Mayor Giuseppe Sala will attend the Italian presentation in Tokyo this week. Stockholm’s newly elected Mayor Anna König Jerlmyr will reportedly not attend. Her new coalition government has come out against a bid though she and other city politicians did meet with Stockholm 2026 bid leaders last week to discuss the project.
The other presentation is at the meeting of the Association of International Olympic Winter Federations at the SportAccord Convention in Australia next April.
The IOC is scheduled to vote on a 2026 host June 24 at the session in Lausanne.
IOC has set a January 11 deadline for the submission of bid documents including government guarantees, but IOC representatives have already hinted that an extension could be granted to allow more time to provide the necessary paperwork.
Of seven applicants in the 2026 race, four have dropped out and a Turkish bid was dismissed for being too costly. With missing guarantees for the remaining two projects, the IOC risks facing a June host city election with one, or perhaps no candidates at all.
"The IPC will continue the cooperation with both candidatures to make sure we have the best host for the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games," Parsons said.
The withdrawal of Calgary after the latest in a series of failed referendums earlier this month has at least one IOC member calling for a change in how a potential bid is decided.
"I think referendums are easy to handle today by pressure groups that are previously organized for other normally political issues, so it is very difficult for a Yes to go ahead," the IOC member and International Triathlon Union president, Marisol Casado, commented to ATR.
"The referendum, in my opinion, is not the right tool to decide the organization of the Games. It should be a more specialized collective that reaches and understands without manipulation the pros and cons of the organization," said the Spanish leader.
Written by Miguel Hernandez
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