Sweden’s Capital has launched a feasibility study to gauge the potential success of a Stockholm 2026 Olympic an Paralympic Winter Games bid. A report is due in February and if positive, the city could plan to enter the race.
Stockholm was one of six cities, four from Europe, to enter a bid for the 2022 Olympic Games only to drop out just weeks later when there was a shift in the political landscape and city council rejected the project. The other three European cities later cancelled plans, one-by-one, for various political and economic reasons.
Beijing finally defeated Almaty for the prize.
The capital hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics but Sweden has never hosted the Winter Games despite several bids over the years, including from Ostersund, Falun and Gothenburg.
Local media reports say there is strong support for the bid from local athletes.
Olympic Champion high jumper Stefan Holm said Monday “I hope they will submit an application. It would be good for Swedish sports.”
Boxer Mikaela Lauren added “It would be super cool. I will keep my fingers crossed.”
Local politicians are supportive as well, but are stressing the costs need to be minimized.
Applications will be due into the International Olympic Committee (IOC) early in 2018, and if Stockholm moves forward it could face bids that are being considered from Switzerland; Innsbruck in Austria, Calgary in Canada, Sapporo in Japan, 2022 runner-up Almaty in Kazakhstan and potentially an American city.
The IOC will elect a winner in 2019.
