Olympic Games-Finland Olympics
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After losing in 2006 against Torino, the competition to organize its first Winter Olympics now Suomi Olympic Committee is planning to relaunch its application for the '2026 edition.
Wednesday 23 November 2016 6 minutes reading time
In recent days a press statement of the new President of the Finnish Olympic Committee has opened an internal discussion in the media and websites that are even reaching the top government in the land of a thousand lakes about the possibility that Finland can finally organize the games in the future Winter Olympic.
Timo Ritakallio - brilliant lawyer of Helsinki with a competitive past active in '' orienteering, but above all with numerous contributions to Vasaloppet before dedicating himself to his career as a manager but at the same time remained active until recently in the sport as president of the Federation of Orienteering, will '' in a few days appointed as the new head of the Finnish Olympic sport.
In support of this promotion it launched the online pages of the national TV a proposal to the government and to all regional authorities Finns - sponsors included - to seriously consider a proposal in 2026.
Ritakallio fact immediately took to leap a phrase expressed by the Secretary General of the Olympic sport Teemu Japisson that displays the new criteria to host the Olympic Games:
"Under the new rules that will go into effect in the IOC from 2020 games will be organized in a more '' eco-sustainable, avoiding as much as possible unnecessary mega buildings and cathedrals in the desert to be used for 15 days and then left in the lurch, ( in Turin they know something more about it) and to compete in races in places already '' acts to the Olympic competitions. "
Hence the proposal to Ritakallio: "I hope that in the coming months will begin a national debate involving all stakeholders to create a real project for the 'organization of the Olympic Games 2026. The games I can reinforce the' Finnish economy , credibility and international tourism in our nation. "
From reports in the press has already Ritakallio '' expressed a rough draft that sees the Helsinki-Tampere-Lahti triangle, which should have most of the facilities and ready location, as the main pole of the entire Finnish project but would also involve the neighboring Sweden and in particular Ã…re for the dispute of the alpine skiing events given the lack of mountains in Finland.
But all this must necessarily pass before being considered by the national government.
Sure enough the next day have not had to wait for the answers of the Minister of Sports and Culture Suomi Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and the Mayor of Helsinki Jussi Pajunen.
The first said "If the Finnish Olympic Committee we ask you we are ready to consider and possibly support the candidacy of Finland throughout. Our area and '' ready with facilities ready to host already '' winter sports competitions of international level, but the Olympics necessarily require new structures that abbisogneranno public investment then to evaluate. " The mayor of the capital instead '' intervened saying publicly "Yes. I am in principle in favor of hosting the Olympic Games in Helsinki. Certainly if there is '' a project we will support it as a city '' but everything must start at the national level. "
At this point, and '' estimated that if the proposal will be '' carried out with the consent of the institutions will then go to the referendum and as '' already '' happened lately with the "brothers" countries of Norway and Sweden.
The time and the passion for winter sports in these latitudes is not lacking and now await future developments. In any case every decision on who will host the 2026 Olympic Games will be taken by the IOC only nell''autunno 2019.
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