Advance voting in the plebiscite for the Calgary 2026 bid is just a couple of days away, but the ‘yes’ side is getting some big support from a high profile athlete.
Michael Edwards, better known as ‘Eddie the Eagle’, achieved fame during the 1988 Olympics by his perseverance on the ski jump.
He arrived in Calgary on Sunday ahead of a rally for the Yes Calgary 2026 movement and says that the Olympic Games can stir up excitement in anyone who participates.
“I think the Calgarians in 1988 were so proud to host the Olympic Games and it was such a special Olympics.”
He says that the city has the potential can do even better still by hosting another one.
“Tick the box that says ‘yes’ and go for another Winter Olympics.”
However, opponents to the idea still say that another Olympics in Calgary is a bad idea and nostalgia for the past events shouldn’t sway anyone’s opinion.
“There is nothing about today that is the same as 1988,” said Erin Waite with No Calgary Olympics. “That was a great time and there was a legacy from 1988, but I am afraid for 2026 that the only legacy will be debt.”
Waite says that instead, Calgarians should stand with the people who are in opposition to the Olympics because all too often doping has plagued many of the sports there.
“Why don’t we stand with the Beckie Scotts who believe in clean sports and say no to the IOC and maybe force them to truly change and truly stand up for the real spirit of the Olympics. Maybe that could be our legacy.”
She says that lots of cities have already dropped out of the running in many bids and it’s only after citizens began to learn more about the true costs of hosting.
“Unless we want to write a blank cheque to the IOC, this really isn’t something we should consider and I think more and more Calgarians are realizing that.”
Advance voting for the plebiscite will begin on Tuesday and the main vote will be held on November 13.
(With files from Alesia Fieldberg)
