Norway would not bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics in the Arctic city of
Tromsoe due to the escalating costs, according to reports reaching here from
Oslo yesterday.
At a meeting in Oslo yesterday, the Board of the Norwegian Confederation of
Sports (NIF) decided to withdraw the application for Tromsoe to host the Winter
Olympics in 2018. The vote was nine for withdrawal, while three voted for a
compromise proposal.
It was a difficult decision, Tove Paule, the chairman of NIF, said at a press
conference.
Last week, a government-commissioned study estimated that the cost of hosting
the 2018 Winter Olympics would be about 29 billion kroner (about US$4.9
billion), or nearly double the figure used by the Tromsoe organizing committee.
Trond Giske, Minister of Culture and Sports, has all along said the Games had
to have the full support from the sports organizations, before the government
could issue a state guarantee, needed for the preparations to go ahead.
The city of Tromsoe won the contest to become Norway's candidate to host the
2018 Winter Olympics last year.
The International Olympic Committee will in July 2011 decide on which city
will be hosting the 23rd Winter Olympics.
