Sweden’s Prime Minister, Stefan Löfvén, has today, Friday, sent a letter to International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, confirming the Swedish government’s full support for the Stockholm Åre 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games bid.
The document, which follows the public backing of the bid by the government as revealed by Sport Minister Amanda Lind earlier this week, completes Stockholm Åre 2026’s application to deliver the event, and outlines the Prime Minister’s belief that Sweden would be an ‘outstanding‘, ‘vibrant’ and ‘forward-thinking’ host.
It also guarantees that Sweden is willing to cooperate with the Organizing Committee (OCOG), International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to ensure that the Games would be successful, inclusive, sustainable, safe and respect the Olympic charter.
The Stockholm Åre 2026 bid team has today submitted over 200 warranties and guarantees including among other things the state security documents, as well as guarantees and undertakings in relation to local councils, venues, hotels, logistics and finance.
Sweden has presented a flexible and sustainable bid with action across four sites – Stockholm, Åre, Falun and Sigulda, Latvia – in line with the IOC’s Agenda 2020 initiative, built around the concept of ‘use what you have, where you have it’.
The final decision on which Candidate City will be awarded the Games is set to be made on 24 June 2019 by IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland. Before then, Stockholm Åre 2026 will present to the International Winter Federations in early May at the Sport Accord, before a final presentation at the end of June.
Richard Brisius, CEO of Stockholm Åre 2026, admitted that the support of the Swedish government was an ‘important milestone’, and that the bid to bring the Olympic Winter Games to Sweden was now much stronger ahead of the final vote.
"We continue the positive work with our bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to help create something new and something lasting, for the Olympic Movement. I am confident that we have a bid that is tailor made to the new reality of the IOC and that will bring the Winter Games to Sweden, a dependable, capable nation that loves winter sports," he continued.
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