Stockholm 2026 Attempts to Keep Olympic Bid Alive

(ATR) Swedish Olympic bid leaders are desperately urging the city council and national government to see the benefits of their quest, promising "no cost to Stockholm’s taxpayers".

Stockholm’s 2026 campaign was nearly derailed last week when the city council coalition of parties refused to publicly endorse it, raising questions about whether they would pursue the bid any further.

Bid leaders on Wednesday went on the offensive in a bid to get skeptical politicians’ to throw their support behind the faltering Winter Olympic push.

"Our concept is unique and we can provide world-class games at no cost to Stockholm’s taxpayers," Mats Årjes, chairman of the Swedish Olympic Committee, told a press conference on Wednesday.

The media briefing aimed to clarify the costs and conditions for hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in Sweden in 2026.

Following a wave of drop-outs from the 2026 Olympic race, primarily over financial issues, and amid reports of the soaring costs of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Stockholm faces an uphill task to persuade councilors and a new coalition national government to back its efforts.

Årjes, not for the first time, spoke about the IOC’s evolving package of reforms designed to slash costs and increase flexibility, leading to "economic, social and above all environmental sustainability".

Commenting on the financial conditions, he told reporters: "Our assessment is that these conditions actually fit Sweden like a glove.

"And when it comes to finances, it is incredibly important to emphasize one more time that we have not approached the notion of tax-based funding or any financial guarantees whatsoever for implementation, whether from Stockholm or any other municipality which has considered hosting competitions during the Olympic Games."

Årjes said the only financial guarantee required concerned security.

"What will be necessary is a financial guarantee for national security, and that is tax-funded. But this cost will also be balanced out by income in the form of VAT and other tax revenues, so there is a high likelihood that the revenues will far outweigh the cost," he said.

The Swedish NOC chief restated 2026 bid campaign messaging that the 2026 Winter Games was a "unique opportunity", an Olympic first to share the showpiece with another country.

In the dialogue phase of the bidding contest, the IOC has granted Sweden’s wishes to use the sliding track in Latvia.

"Our goal may sound a little extreme, but we want our model to be an example for future Olympic Games," he said.

"And perhaps, years from now, people will be talking about the ‘Stockholm model’ or the ‘Swedish model’."

Reinforcing the Message

In a press conference, which shed little light on any new Olympic bid developments, bid officials once against emphasized that 90 percent of facilities were already in place.

The Swedish NOC’s operations manager, Peter Reinebo, talked about the facilities and arenas earmarked in the Olympic plan.

The only new venues would be a new ice rink and a skiing venue. Bisslinge, better known for golf, and Hamra, located in Botkyrka, are the ski options.

"We imagine that Åre 2019 [World Championships] will be Åre 2026 for the Alpine games. Freestyle and snowboarding will be added, which will primarily take place in Åre, but we will also make sure to get those competitions in Stockholm," said Reinebo.

Falun’s slopes will be used for ski jumping, with cross-country and biathlon in Stockholm, with the acquisition of a facility offering "everyday use" after the Games.

Talking about the co-hosting with Latvia, Reinebo said: "Sigulda in Latvia has a bobsled, luge and skeleton facility which will be renovated.

"They have a World Cup every year and want to have more, a very important matter for the country. They are a nation that cannot be an independent Olympic nation and one which we have had good communication with for many years," he added.

Stockholm 2026 CEO Richard Brisius is currently seeking meetings with the new-look city council – which has switched from Social Democrats to Conservatives – in order to keep the bid on track.

"We are proceeding to go and meet with them because it is a new group. They are open to arranging the Olympics and Paralympics. They want to look further around the economics and sustainability," Brisius told Around the Rings last Friday.

Calgary and a joint Italian bid from Milan and Cortina are also bidding to stage the 2026 Games, with the IOC's host city vote coming next June.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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