Swedish 2026 Olympic Bid Shapes Up

(ATR) Bid CEO Richard Brisius says Stockholm’s 2026 Winter Olympic ambitions are on course after positive feedback from the IOC.

Speaking exclusively to Around the Rings, he said Stockholm bid officials had discussed "all aspects of our improved plans" with IOC officials in Lausanne earlier this month at a 2026 bidding workshop.

"This was the final meeting in a series of six meetings. Our plans seemed to be well received in line with Agenda 2020 and the ‘New Norm’ [bidding reforms], so for us it was a milestone in our work towards a bid for winter Olympics and Paralympics 2026," Brisius told ATR.

The leader of Stockholm’s Olympic effort said the meetings spread over the past 10 months with IOC experts and advisers had helped the bid to shape its plans.

"We are now very grateful for all help, guidelines and good advice that we have received," he said. "We can conclude that the dialoge phase [of the bidding process] has been very productive, positive and good for us.

"We have the capacity, capability and willingness to move forward."

One of the IOC’s chief concerns about Stockholm’s bid – using the Sigulda sliding track in Latvia – appear to have been alleviated in the workshops.

A cooperation memorandum between Stockholm and Latvia in June has paved the way for bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events for a Swedish 2026 Winter Games to be held at the sliding track.

The venue, which would require significant renovation to host four-man competitions, can be reached via a one-hour flight from Stockholm to the Latvian capital Riga and a one-hour bus drive. The IOC had advised against Stockholm building any new sliding track over Olympic legacy concerns.

Brisius noted the IOC’s satisfaction with the plans.

"We are happy that we have, in accordance with the ‘New Norm’, entered into a partnership with our colleagues in Latvia and the city of Sigulda regarding the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track in Sigulda, that is aligned with and approved by the Government of Latvia," he said.

"Work will now continue to ensure the feasibility and deepen the co-operation."

Despite progress with the IOC, Stockholm’s bid remains up in the air until after Sweden’s national elections are held on Sept. 9 when it hopes to gain government backing to pursue the Olympic campaign.

There are five other 2026 bidders – Calgary, Austria’s Graz, Erzurum in Turkey, Sapporo and a yet to be determined Italian bid.

The IOC executive board will decide which of them enters the candidature phase at the Session in Buenos Aires in October. The host city vote comes in September 2019.

Homepage photo: Swedish Olympic Committee

Reported by Mark Bisson

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