An official from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Friday the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang will not be split with another city, putting an end to speculation that the South Korean host would be asked to co-host the event in a cost-saving step.
According to the PyeongChang organizing committee, Gunilla Lindberg, head of the IOC’s Coordination Commission on PyeongChang, declared that all scheduled events will be staged in South Korea as originally planned.
The IOC last month passed a reform package dubbed “Olympic Agenda 2020,” which included an option granted to the host city to stage some competitions in different countries to save costs.
PyeongChang has since had to fend off reports that it was being asked to halt construction of a new sliding venue and move bobsleigh and luge competitions to another country.
Lindberg, in PyeongChang this week for the IOC’s Project Review on PyeongChang’s preparation, said the South Korean host will have the Olympics to itself.
“The approval of the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations by the IOC created the opportunity for the Korean organizers to propose hosting sports or disciplines outside of the host city in order to maximize legacies and minimize costs where feasible,” Lindberg was quoted as saying by the PyeongChang organizing committee.
“Since then, both (the organizing committee) and its government partners have made it clear that they will maintain their current venue plan. As a result, the venue masterplan is now finalized.”
Lindberg noted that PyeongChang has made “good progress” but timelines remain tight, with test events scheduled to be held in 2016.
“As we enter the delivery stage of the Games, some key priorities have been identified and this has retained the full attention of President Cho Yang-ho (of the organizing committee), who is leading the organizational effort,” Lindberg added.
“Timelines in a number of areas remain tight including for test events, so (the organizing committee) and its partners must continue to accelerate their work and reorganization in order to ensure the successful delivery of the venues and related services.”
The Project Review is attended by the head of the Coordination Commission for the given Olympic Games, and other IOC officials. It provides interim updates between full Coordination Commission visits. The Coordination Commission will next visit PyeongChang in March.
PyeongChang will be the first South Korean host of a Winter Olympics. It defeated Munich, Germany, and Annecy, France, for the right to stage the 2018 Games in an IOC vote held four years ago.
PyeongChang had come up short in its two previous bids, losing to Vancouver, Canada, and Sochi, Russia. (Yonhap)
