FIS president shock: Will have the OLYMPICS to dictatorships

The 75-year-old sveitseren is skiing the most powerful man and honorary member of the IOC, but he is notorious for verbally shooting from the hip. Now he is in place in the alpine world CHAMPIONSHIPS in Åre, a place that hopes to become the host of the winter OLYMPICS in 2026, in cooperation with among others hovedsøker Stockholm.

It is in an interview with the swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger that Kasper comes with his controversial statements. He expressed that the OLYMPICS has become too large for that european democracies are to arrange them.

OLYMPIC games has been enormous, and therefore the stuff we are no longer to find candidates. It is too expensive and too large. There are too many sports, and all costs, " says Kasper of the newspaper.

On the question whether Switzerland can aspire to become the OLYMPIC host again, " says Kasper, that he does not think any european country is able to convince its population that it is a good idea to take on an OLYMPIC event. His solution?

- Dictatorships can arrange the toys, for they do not need to ask the people, " says Kasper, and asks if he does not care about human rights.

- It is simply easier with dictatorships. From a purely market perspective, I want to just have the OLYMPICS in dictatorships. When release I to keep on to fight with environmental activists.

Røste reacts

Norwegian skipresident Erik Røste, says to NRK that he takes the distance from Kaspers opinions and says that he will talk with Kasper at the first opportunity.

- I do not share his view on the future OLYMPIC games. I think it is absolutely essential that the OLYMPIC games in the future will be held in the western countries, and the IOC is just as clear on it through the Agenda 2020. I hope, therefore, that Sweden is the OLYMPIC games-seeking in 2026, " he says.

A IOC-spokesperson is saying to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine that the OLYMPIC committee does not share the Kaspers views.

Qatar

Kasper, in interview also reveals itself as klimaskeptiker, was a member of the IOC when Beijing was awarded the winter games in 2022. He asked if there is no limit to which countries can be assigned to the OLYMPICS.

- I will not travel to the country and invest in their resorts at the same time as the people starve. Where do I draw the border. About Qatar seeking the OLYMPICS in the morning, I will be against it, " he says.

Tagez-Anzeiger ask if it means that he is critical of the federations of football, handball and cycling, which have held or shall hold their world CHAMPIONSHIP in Qatar.

- I driver not with politics. In Qatar, it is quite simple so that there is too much sand in relation to the snow. the

Kasper re-elected as FIS president