Almaty, Oslo, Beijing remain in bid to host 2022 Olympics

Only three cities remain in the bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz. Kazakhstan’s Almaty is among the bidders. The other two cities are Norway’s Oslo and China’s Beijing.

Three cities withdrew from the bidding process. The most recent of them was Lviv in Ukraine. Rising costs of hosting Olympic Games raises eyebrows: $51 billion spent on Sochi Winter Games in Russia, $19 billion spent on London Olympics in 2012, and $40 billion to host the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

"It would be extremely difficult to pursue the 2022 bid under the current circumstances, but a future bid would make sense for Ukraine and Ukrainian sport," IOC President Thomas Bach said.

Previously, Sweden dropped its bid to host the Olympics in Stockholm citing financial reasons.

Polish Krakow withdrew from the competition, when almost 70 percent of the city’s residents voted against hosting the Olympics.

Norway is near withdrawing from the bid because the majority of the voters oppose hosting the games. Moreover, one of the political parties, constituting half of its coalition government, declared that no state money will be spent on the Games.

Only three cities remain in the bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz. Kazakhstan’s Almaty is among the bidders. The other two cities are Norway’s Oslo and China’s Beijing.

Three cities withdrew from the bidding process. The most recent of them was Lviv in Ukraine. Rising costs of hosting Olympic Games raises eyebrows: $51 billion spent on Sochi Winter Games in Russia, $19 billion spent on London Olympics in 2012, and $40 billion to host the Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

"It would be extremely difficult to pursue the 2022 bid under the current circumstances, but a future bid would make sense for Ukraine and Ukrainian sport," IOC President Thomas Bach said.

Previously, Sweden dropped its bid to host the Olympics in Stockholm citing financial reasons.

Polish Krakow withdrew from the competition, when almost 70 percent of the city’s residents voted against hosting the Olympics.

Norway is near withdrawing from the bid because the majority of the voters oppose hosting the games. Moreover, one of the political parties, constituting half of its coalition government, declared that no state money will be spent on the Games.

By Dinara Urazova

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