Swedish Olympic Committee regrets withdrawing 2022 bid
Swedish Olympic Committee president Stefan Lindeberg said the country would not have withdrawn its bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics if it knew about changes to the process, Stephen Wilson of the Associated Press reports.
In January, Sweden withdrew its bid to host the 2022 Olympics in Stockholm after Swedish politicians did not give financial support. Now, however, Lindeberg said there has been a "change in attitude" by the International Olympic Committee, and Sweden would bid for the Games if given the chance.
Lindeberg says: "If we would have the discussion in January that we are having now, I would say we would still stay in this."
President Thomas Bach said the IOC will not re-open the bidding process. Lindeberg said he does not expect Sweden to receive another chance to bid for the 2022 Games.
"There is one good argument to open up the bidding — to show the world that we are changing, and we want to do this change as quickly as possible, but I don't think it will happen," Lindeberg told the AP. "I can understand why (Bach) does not want to open the race, not wanting to show there is a crisis and whatever. I respect that."
Earlier this month, Norway's government rejected Oslo's bid for the 2022 Olympics after refusing to provide financial guarantees. Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, are the only remaining candidates to host the games.
The host of the 2022 Winter Olympics will be selected by the IOC on July 31, 2015, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Paul Palladino
