79 replies to this topic

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

Well, here's a likely 2022 starter ... though I still think Sochi's a Ukraine-crusher for that year.

Quote

Ukraine targeting 2022 Winter Olympics to help underprivileged areas, reveals Bubka

February 6 - Pole vault legend Sergey Bubka has revealed that Ukraine are plotting a bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of a strategy to help develop the west of the country, one of the more underprivileged parts of the nation.

The 2022 bid process is in the early stages with the winning bid not set to be announced until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in 2015 in a city yet to be chosen.

A number of high profile cities are currentlyconsidering bidding for the event including Denver in the United States, Oslo in Norway and Barcelona in Spain.

But the influential Bubka, who is President of the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee, vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and an IOC member, admitted that the lesser known region of western Ukraine wants to bid for the event to boost the economic prospects in the area.

"We have had discussions with our President Viktor Yanukovych about an Olympic bid and also discussions with Borys Kolesnikov, our vice Prime Minister who is in charge of Euro 2012," Bubka told insidethegames here.

"They have agreed to do a study to see if an Olympic bid is possible and they are very supportive of the idea.

"Our target would be the Winter Games rather than the Summer Games because in the western part of the country, we have the Carpathian Mountains.

"They are in an area that is poor and the Games could be a way to help develop the region.

"Some of the region is developed and some of the resources are in place but if we can go for the Olympics, it would really help accelerate the development there which would be very good.

"At the moment, there are not many jobs in the west of Ukraine but an Olympic project would help to create a lot of jobs and stop people from the area moving away in order to find work."

The Carpathian Mountains (pictured) would appear an ideal location for a Winter Olympic as they are the second-longest mountain range in Europe and considered one of the most picturesque locations in the continent.

The nearby city of Lviv has been mentioned as the Ukrainian 2022 bid candidate and while Bubka admitted there is not much winter sport infrastructure in the area at present; he believes an Olympic bid would change everything and turn the area into a major tourist destination for winter sport enthusiasts.

"An Olympics would certainly help infrastructure in the area because we don't have any winter sport facilities right now and we would be able to build them," he said.

"Ukraine is a sporting nation but it is a not a winter sport nation right now.

"We are strong in the sports of figure skating and biathlon but in the future, winter sport in the country must be developed and an Olympics would provide the facilities for both top athletes and tourists."

Sochi in Russia are set to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, while Pyeongchang in South Korea emphatically won the right to stage the 2018 Winter Olympics at the IOC Session in Durban last year, beating off competition from Munich and Annecy in the first round of voting.

Insidethegames

[intoronto1125]

Well Ukraine isn't winning on its first try. So why not bid to build experience and sympathy.

[deawebo]

It would be Lviv for WOG right? Mmm the will need more experience, even to make it for the shortlist perhaps...

Kyiv wouldn't sound so crazy for SOG, i mean their stadium (will host Euro's final) is amazing!!!!

[jawnbc]

I would argue that, after Germany and Switzerland...Sarajevo would have a good shot. They've got the mountains and some of the arena. They could justify a village as public housing. They would need to totally rebuild the sliding track and need a couple of other arenas--and a lot of hotels. Still, something of a long shot.

[intoronto1125]

Looks like we can remove Slovenia off the list. They withdrew from hosting the 2013 Winter Universiade.

[FYI]

IDK - I'd think I'd favor Sofia over Ukraine, or even Poland, for the next Eastern European Winter Games. And definitely over another repeat Sarajevo.

[intoronto1125]

FYI, on 22 February 2012 - 10:58 PM, said:

IDK - I'd think I'd favor Sofia over Ukraine, or even Poland, for the next Eastern European Winter Games. And definitely over another repeat Sarajevo.

And Sofia is building the venues necessary. Only problem I see is Bulgaria is not a winter power no tradition in majority of the sports. First build up the winter sports in your country, like Kazakhstan is doing atm.

[FYI]

Yeah, but besides Russia, how many other Eastern European nations are 'winter powers'. Not really any. And Sarajevo got the Winter Olympics despite Yugoslavia having not one Winter Olympic medal to it's name at the time.

And Sofia probably could've ended up with the 1992 Winter Games had it not been for JAS' finagling of that year's vote sessions to get Paris out of the way for the Summer Olympics in favor for his hometown Olympic Games.

[intoronto1125]

FYI, on 22 February 2012 - 11:43 PM, said:

Yeah, but besides Russia, how many other Eastern European nations are 'winter powers'. Not really any. And Sarajevo got the Winter Olympics despite Yugoslavia having not one Winter Olympic medal to it's name at the time.

And Sofia probably could've ended up with the 1992 Winter Games had it not been for JAS' finagling of that year's vote sessions to get Paris out of the way for the Summer Olympics in favor for his hometown Olympic Games.

"And Sofia probably could've ended up with the 1992 Winter Games had it not been for JAS' finagling of that year's vote sessions to get Paris out of the way for the Summer Olympics in favor for his hometown Olympic Games." Can you explain that lol wasn't aware of that.

Well not necessarily powers but constant powers. Poland had 6 medals last time out, Ukraine constantly sends huge teams and so does Kazakhstan. Slovenia has winter tradition as well. Kazakhstan's only sport without tradition would be curling. DYK Bulgaria's womens hockey team was beaten 82-0 by Slovakia in qualifying for the 2010 Games. Slovakia got blown out 18-0 by Canada you can add up the equation there.

[Rols O'Bertilsson]

intoronto1125, on 22 February 2012 - 11:58 PM, said:

Well not necessarily powers but constant powers. Poland had 6 medals last time out, Ukraine constantly sends huge teams and so does Kazakhstan. Slovenia has winter tradition as well. Kazakhstan's only sport without tradition would be curling. DYK Bulgaria's womens hockey team was beaten 82-0 by Slovakia in qualifying for the 2010 Games. Slovakia got blown out 18-0 by Canada you can add up the equation there.

One thing you have to remember mate is the Winter Games have a far smaller pool of potential hosts that are physically and geographically capable of hosting. Not to mention there's not the same spread of success and tradition in winter sports as their is for summer sports around the world. I think sporting tradition isn't as important for winter hosts as it is for the SOGs - the IOC can't be too picky is they want new regions or countries for the WOGs to go to (heaven help us - we wouldn't want them to go to frickin' Canada every second edition! ).

Edited by Sir Rols, 23 February 2012 - 12:04 AM.