Winter sports : the Olympic games - an obsolete model?

There was a time, in the snow with true sporting exploits. The Older will remember the great moments of the Olympic winter sports: the daredevil downhill skier Franz Klammer in 1976 in Innsbruck. Tens of thousands of your country man, were you out on the Slopes and cheered. Or the Italians Alberto Tomba, "la bomba" as he in 1988 near Calgary in the Rocky Mountains with elegance down the hill wagging, which robbed the viewers breath away. And, of course, many still remember the beautiful pictures from Lillehammer. Perhaps the biggest Hit of the event was under the sign of the five rings.

The games in the small Norwegian town were atmospheric, and exciting. The year was 1994, and the Lillehammer games still stands for the ideal of the Olympic winter. However, in the past 24 years a lot has happened. Lillehammer would not be quite the right vessel for this very grown up sporting event. Ever the organizer, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is difficult, therefore, to find suitable vessels for his product.

Currently, the IOC is looking for a venue for the winter games in 2026. The possible candidates fall like dominoes. Only the citizens of the Tyrol, was rejected more than a year, a candidacy, a majority, and later the Same in Switzerland, happened first in the Grisons, in the Canton of Valais; in July, the Austrian Olympic Committee withdrew the candidacy projects of Graz/Schladming. And just a few weeks ago, the citizens of Calgary decided against a new edition of the games in their city. There are only two candidates remained for the IOC, therefore, left Stockholm and Milan to Cortina d'ampezzo. Last Friday, the deadline for candidates ended their documents to the IOC to be submitted. Two candidates for the supposed huge event, the Olympic winter games – this is an indictment of the IOC. "No wonder," says Stefan Grass, "who asks the people or the parliaments after the Olympic Games, gets a majority of one answer: no!"

Stefan, Grass fought in the last 20 years successfully against applications for the Olympic games.Photo: Promo

Grass needs to know. The 64-Year-old is one of the toughest opponents of the IOC. Grass loves his home in the Alps, especially because of the still partly intact landscape. This is his driving force that has made him a fierce adversary of the Olympic games – and have been for almost 20 years. As a campaign Manager, he fought successfully the candidatures for the winter games in Graubünden, for 2010, 2014, 2022, and 2026. Also in the Valais, the Olympic familiar opponent his power of Persuasion. As in Graubünden, the majority of the People followed his arguments and blared a candidacy.

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winter Olympic games in 2026, Which the city wants to do the Olympia?

Sebastian Schlichting

it was a fight of David against Goliath. With just under 100,000 euros, the campaigns of the Olympic opponents had to be financed in comparison to the multi-million dollar Budget of the supporters. The mismatch played a role. Because, maybe, yeah right, what the Grass says: at the Olympic winter games "are a discontinued model".

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