Stockholm Olympic Bid Scores Government Aid

(ATR) The race for the 2026 Winter Games heats up after Stockholm-Are receives the Swedish government’s public expression of support.

Last week, the rival 2026 bid from Milan and Cortina moved into pole position when the national government signed off on financial guarantees for the Games.

Now Stockholm-Are appears to have equalized the advantage of the Italian bid with the Swedish government pledging the financial guarantees required by the IOC.

Tuesday’s announcement will come as a relief for the IOC, hit with a series of drop-outs in the last two bidding contests, and Stockholm-Are bid team who have been nervously waiting for months for the Swedish government to throw its full support behind their Olympic quest.

Both Olympic bids were given a three-month extension to secure government backing by April 12, although Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi had indicated that the IOC was prepared to wait until voting day on June 24 to finalize political pledges of support, if necessary.

Government backing remained in the balance during the IOC 2026 Evaluation Commission visit to Sweden last month. Swedish sports minister Amanda Lind said there had to be a "consensus in both sport and politics".

Lind now confirms that this political support had finally arrived, saying the whole government is "united" behind Sweden’s Olympic campaign to host its first-ever Winter Games – and first full Olympics – since 1912.

"It would be great for Sweden to host an Olympic Games," Lind told Swedish television station, TV4. "For the entire sports movement, it would be a huge boost. As sports minister, I’m glad that we have been able to give this backing. The government is united behind the decision."

Stockholm-Are 2026, like many Olympic bids before it, promises the most sustainable Olympic Games in history. The bid differs in offering a four-cluster concept with a major spread of venues, including the sliding track in Latvia and the Alpine resort of Are, which is more than 600km away, an 80-minute flight.

The plan includes four Olympic villages, 12 competition venues – eight existing with two in need of significant upgrades. Three new venues and one temporary venue will be built.

Speaking about the lengthy distances between the Swedish capital and some other venues, Lindd said: "If we get the Olympic Games, it would be very positive in the way the Swedish Olympic Committee and the Swedish Paralympic Committee have planned the Olympics.

"It would be a way for Sweden to show how sports events can take place in the future, and to be able to show that one can do it without expensive new builds – in a sustainable and climate-smart way."

Stockholm 2026 CEO Richard Brisius said the government’s backing strengthened the bid’s campaign with 10 weeks until the vote.

"We have already seen huge support from the public, business community and different stakeholders across the country, and it’s fantastic that the government has now pledged its full support as well," he said.

"We have been working closely and continuing a dialogue with the government and other important stakeholders for many months, so for us, this decision is not unexpected."

The two 2026 bids will look to gain momentum when they present to the summer Olympic federations and mix with IOC members at SportAccord in Gold Coast, Australia in May.

Brisius believes there’s plenty of time to change IOC members’ perceptions about Stockholm 2026.

"We all know that the only votes that matter will occur on 24 June 2019 by the IOC members in Lausanne. Between now and then, we will continue to work hard and showcase our plan for a truly sustainable Winter Games, not just for 2026, but for every Games beyond that," he said.

News of the Swedish government support comes four days after the bid received backing from the prime minister of Latvia, which is hosting sliding events in Sigulda. That move is meant to cut the costs of staging the Games, a move broadly welcomed by the IOC evaluation commission.

Stockholm 2026 leaders say that taxpayers will not foot the Olympic bill with everything privately financed apart from national security costs. The projected budget for the Swedish bid is $1.5 billion. The IOC promises to provide the winning bid with $925 million.

The IOC vote comes at the Session in Lausanne on June 24.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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