The citizens of calgary have decided: no second winter games in 1988. If a town like this says in Canada no, the Olympics are in serious trouble, writes Chuck Penfold.
More than 56 percent of calgary citizens who have voted on the application to the Olympic games in 2026, lowered the thumb. It was a surprisingly clear decision – observers were more likely to assume a head-to-head race of Olympic opponents and supporters. Now, it is expected that the city Council of Calgary to follow in the coming week the vote and the nomination is officially bury it.
Long-term debt
What exactly led the people in Calgary, a majority votes no, can not be exactly determined. But there are hints. The reputation of the IOC has also suffered in Canada by a series of scandals in the last few decades. Most of all, however, the citizens of the city has engaged the question of cost. It is no secret that many towns and cities, the Olympic summer or winter games have of them have a pay for with long – term debt for its host role, with many sports facilities, which fell into disrepair afterwards. Montreal, Rio de Janeiro and Sochi are just a few examples.
Positive Olympic sentiment in Canada
Chuck Penfold, DW sports
That this need not happen necessarily, have shown the winter games in Vancouver in 2010, who wrote according to the organizing Committee in the black. To the financial success of the athletic joined, with many surprising medals for canadian athletes. The bid Committee wanted to take advantage of this positive basic mood, to pick up 30 years after the first Games in Calgary, the big event again in the city. Eleven competition should be renovated for facilities in 1988. This would have caused in comparison to new construction only a fraction of the cost.
A ” no ” to the other
In this respect, the disappointment of mayor Naheed Nenshi and the application Committee is understandable. A small consolation, however, could be that the output of the Olympia-referendum, in view of the recent past, no real Surprise. Whenever in the past five years, on the Olympic games in the population was adapted, was the result of no. Germany made no exception, whether in November 2013, the Ombudsman’s decision on Munich’s bid to hold the winter games in 2022 or in November 2017, in Hamburg, on the candidacy for the summer games in 2024. In other countries of Europe the same image: Whether in Switzerland, Austria or Poland – the citizens refused their approval. Also, the applications from Boston in the US and Budapest in Hungary to host the games in 2024 failed due to the lack of support in the population. The initiators there, threw before the possible referendums in the towel.
Calgary’s clear no to the Olympic games in 2026, should the IOC and its President, Thomas Bach, however, finally the alarm bells are ringing. That the Olympic officials have recognized the Problem, shows the “Agenda 2020” of the IOC, Bach and co. the escalating costs of the Olympic games wanted to contain it. But apparently, the reforms go to the people does not go far enough. It is hardly a future Olympic candidates, can stand to come up with a more conservative financial plan as the city of Calgary and its residents of Olympia, in principle, similar to positive. Finally, the winter had made games in 1988, the canadian city anywhere in the world. To which citizens of a city in a democratic state, the Olympic games not to ever sell, if it works once in Calgary?