Stockholm Pitches 'Really Strong' 2026 Winter Olympic Bid

(ATR) The Swedish NOC’s chief executive tells Around the Ringsthe IOC is not concerned about staging sliding sports in Latvia for the Stockholm 2026 Olympic bid.

Latvia’s sliding track in Sigulda is the "first choice" for the 2026 bid, Peter Reinebo told ATR on Friday. It’s a one-hour flight from Stockholm to the capital Riga and a one-hour bus drive to reach the venue.

"They [the IOC] think it is a great idea because we can’t have a good legacy of a sliding venue. In our country the sports are small and it is a big investment," he said. "They say if you intend to build a venue you have to give us proof that it is a good investment and you can use it for your sport."

"The ‘new norm’ is to open these possibilities," Reinebo said, talking of the IOC’s package of reforms launched in February to revamp its trouble-hit Olympic bidding and delivery model. ‘The New Norm’ is a set of 118 reforms designed to slash Games delivery costs for candidate cities.

The Stockholm bid had looked at other options for a sliding facility in Norway and Germany but appears to have settled on Latvia. "We have started to cooperate with them," he said, adding that the Sigulda venue would require a substantial renovation but as a government-owned facility it was "a win-win situation".

Under the Stockholm 2026 bid, only two new venues need to be built – a speed skating arena and Nordic skiing track area. Both would be used for World Cup events following the 2026 Games.

"We think we have a really, really strong concept when it comes to the venues. We use venues that are sustainable and we have a good record of organising World Cups and world championships," he said.

Growing Support

The Swedish NOC and city of Stockholm submitted a letter to the IOC in November to officially confirm their interest in staging the 2026 Olympics.

Since then, Reinebo along with Stockholm 2026 CEO Richard Brisius and colleagues have met several times with the IOC’s Olympic bid team and advisers. The most recent meeting was held in Stockholm two weeks’ ago and focused on the Games concept. Another workshop in mid-April will cover sustainability and legacy and in May the topic is Games operations.

"We work with the IOC and experts... it is good value and adds to our concept," Reinebo said. Around six to eight officials are in the IOC group that travels to Stockholm for the workshops.

He insists public and media support for Stockholm’s Olympic quest is on the rise after "a lot of good media during the PyeongChang Games internationally and in own country". Stockholm’s bid team were part of the IOC’s observer program at the Winter Olympics.

"Our position now is much more positive than before. We have the feeling that a number of key media in our country sees that ‘alright this is a new possibility," he said. "Of course everyone sees the process is different but also that the concept of the Games could be laid out in another way than earlier."

Calgary, Graz-Schladming, Milan-Turin and Sion are also in the race for the 2026 Olympics, and some of them have already been involved in IOC teleconference workshops with Stockholm. Sapporo has also been part of the IOC process but is eyeing a bid for the 2030 Winter Games.

March 31 is the IOC deadline for cities to express their interest in the 2026 Games. No further entrants are expected.

On Thursday, the Austrian and Italian Olympic committees each sent a "letter of intent" to the IOC to join the dialogue phase of the 2026 bidding process. Both countries are pitching joint bids – Graz and Schladming for Austria; Milan and Turin for Italy.

In October, the IOC Executive Board will decide whether to keep or cut the field of candidates for the second phase of the 2026 bidding process.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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