Prerequisites for Olympic bid to be investigated

Finland will investigate the prerequisites for a bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Ministry of Education and Culture has awarded a grant to the Finnish Olympic Committee to carry out the survey.

– I have asked the Finnish Olympic Committee to investigate the preconditions for Finland to bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The results of the survey will form a foundation for future assessment of potential bids for the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” says Sampo Terho, Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sport.

There has been regular public debate in Finland over the possibility of bidding for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and on the prerequisites for hosting the events. Due to a lack of investigations or surveys on the matter, the discussion has been largely founded on perceptions and assumptions.

– The survey will open avenues for fact-based debate whether it is possible for Finland to host future Olympic Games, either alone or jointly with other countries. In order to preserve the integrity and esteem of Olympic Games, they must be hosted by more sustainable and cost-effective means than before. This plays to the strengths of Finland as a safe country and makes it worthwhile to investigate our potential, says Terho.

Prepared jointly by the International Olympic Committee, sports federations and national Olympic committees, the Olympic Agenda 2020 introduced significant changes to the requirements for bidding and hosting. Future Olympic and Paralympic Games will emphasise financially, environmentally and ethically sustainable values and the transparency of the entire hosting process, from the initial application until the Olympic flame is extinguished. The intention is that the Games should adapt to the host city, not the other way around. The updated process laid out in Agenda 2020 will first see action in the bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The survey will evaluate Finland’s situation in view of the updated process announced by the IOC and International Paralympic Committee. Topics covered in the survey include application criteria, hosting requirements and other areas vital for the Games.

The survey will also investigate potential host cities and partner countries, as well as calculate a rough estimate of the costs of bidding and hosting.  The calculation will take into account the amount of funding granted by the IOC and IPC for hosting.

– Finland has a recognised standing within the international Olympic movement and over a century of distinguished Olympic history. Elite sports, such as the Olympics, evoke emotions and create shared experiences. We want to investigate whether the new requirements could permit us to host Olympic Games that would be true to the size and character of Finland. Naturally, the host would be not just one city but all of Finland, says Mikko Salonen, CEO and Secretary General of the Finnish Olympic Committee.

Further information:

– Mikko Salonen, CEO and Secretary General of the Finnish Olympic Committee, tel. +358 40 5410 295,mikko.salonen@olympiakomitea.fi

Interview requests to the Minister:

– Toni Ahva, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 295 330 340, toni.ahva@minedu.fi