(ATR) City authorities in Stockholm are biding their time on whether to launch a bid for the 2026 Winter Games.
Around the Rings is told that a city council decision will come in November or December.
Stefan Lindeberg, the Swedish NOC’s former president, told ATR that the council met last week and decided to spend the next six months analyzing and developing the Olympic bidding concept presented to them by the NOC and its stakeholders in recent months.
Leaders of the 1912 Summer Olympic city are forming a committee to assess and enhance the project conceived by the Swedish sports movement, he confirmed.
"But the city will as well look into alternative solutions to see what best fits the after-use and the vision for the city," he said.
"Different stakeholders will be involved in the job with the NOC and the NPC (National Paralympic Committee) as key partners," added Lindeberg, who stepped down in April after 16 years as NOC chief.
Swedish sports federations last month underlined their support for a tilt at the 2026 Games at their annual assembly, as exclusively reported by ATR.
The NOC has been in talks with the city council about a possible Olympic bid since last year.
A Swedish campaign to secure the 2026 Olympics would follow Stockholm’s withdrawal from the 2022 contest. Stockholm dropped out of the race in January 2014 after the city’s ruling Moderate party failed to back bid plans.
Canada, Norway and Switzerland are also mulling bids for the 2026 Winter Games.
Formal 2026 bidding applications are not due with the IOC until the second half of next year – after the 2024 host city is chosen in September. Before that, the IOC will look to engage with NOCs about possible bids on an informal basis as part of its new invitation phase.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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