Officials with the governing body of the Olympic Games say the organization has embraced flexibility in an effort to ensure future Olympics are held in the best possible location and Calgary made a lasting impression on IOC members during a recent visit.
On Tuesday, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), addressed his fellow IOC members and delegates at a meeting in PyeongChang, South Korea ahead of the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Among the topics of discussion was Calgary’s potential bid to host the 2026 Games which, according to Samaranch, has progressed very rapidly.
“We have started, in January, the interactive working sessions,” said Samaranch. “We have had technical sessions, we have had technical meetings.”
“It’s a good project,” said Samaranch of the findings of January’s working and technical session in Calgary. “It’s based very much on legacy of something that already happened. We like that word ‘legacy’ and they like it, too.”
Samaranch confirmed to his fellow IOC members that Calgary would be sending a ‘high-level delegation’, including Mayor Naheed Nenshi, to South Korea to witness firsthand the inner workings of the PyeongChang games.
On February 1, Mayor Nenshi issued the following statement prior to his departure for South Korea.
“The Programme is a unique opportunity to experience the Games first-hand to learn how we could host a successful Games in Calgary—if we pursue a bid. Over the course of my time in Korea (Feb. 6-14), I will have a full schedule of meetings with local and international officials and have many opportunities to get a behind-the-scenes look at Games operations.”
Samaranch confirmed the list of cities that have expressed interest in hosting the 2026 games during his address.
The cities that have officially entered the IOC’s candidature stage include:
- Calgary, Canada
- Sion, Switzerland
- Sapporo, Japan
- Stockholm, Sweden
The list of cities that, according to Samaranch, are considering entering the candidature stage to host the 2026 games includes:
- Denver, United States
- Reno-Tahoe, United States
- Salt Lake City, United States
- Graz, Austria
According to Samaranch, the IOC’s flexibility during the selection process for the host cities of the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games proved successful and the organization will take numerous factors into consideration when selecting the 2026 host city.
“We are going to be flexible to make sure we can organize the best possible games in the best possible place.”
Samaranch told the congregation that the IOC will support all candidate cities ‘in dealing with local press’. “We are very well equipped to help them explain why this is good to them,” said Samaranch. “We have to activate our media capacity towards local media (in candidate cities) to help them defend themselves against the ‘No’ potential groups.”
While the City of Calgary has not made a decision on whether to submit a bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, some local athletes are intrigued by the possibility of a return of the Olympics to Calgary.
“I think it’s great,” said Seyi Smith, who is representing Canada as a member of the men’s bobsleigh team in PyeongChang. “I know hosting the Olympics is pretty controversial right now but we’re different and the idea of bringing it back here, I think, would be great for the sporting community as well as just the community in general.”
The bobsleigh brakeman adds “Upgrading our facilities and bringing (the Olympics) back would do wonders for the future generations of athletes”.
Kristen Bujnowski, an alternate on Team Canada’s women’s bobsleigh team, says she wasn’t able to attend the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and would love the opportunity to compete in Calgary in front of her family and friends.
“I think having the games anywhere in Canada would be amazing but somewhere you’re already familiar with, and already there all the time, is a great asset for all the athletes around here.”
The members of the Calgary 2026 Olympic Bid Project are attempting to secure funding commitments for a bid from the provincial and federal governments. Should all levels of government commit to funding the bid, the City of Calgary would then decide if a bid corporation should be developed.
The City of Calgary is expected to make a decision on whether to pursue a bid to host the 2026 Olympic Games by late March.
With files from CTV's Jordan Kanygin
