Olympics in Denmark? IOC reforms set stage

Reforms approved on Monday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could pave the way for Denmark to host the Games. 

 

The IOC approved changes to the bidding process that will make it easier and more affordable for smaller countries to compete to host the Olympics. Future prospective hosts can now hold events outside of the host city or country, clearing the way for Denmark to join forces with neighbours Sweden and Norway to bring the Olympics to Scandinavia. 

 

“Our goal with these changes is that smaller countries like Denmark can also arrange an Olympic Games - it shouldn’t just belong to the larger countries. I hope that this will prompt the Scandinavian countries to make a bid,” IOC vice president John Coates said in Monaco on Monday, according to Politiken. 

 

The IOC changes were greeted warmly by Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen, who said they present “very exciting” possibilities. 

 

“It could be remarkable to get part of the Olympic Games to Copenhagen, but it would require wide political backing,” he told Politiken. 

 

Gerhard Heiberg, a Norwegian member of the IOC, said he hoped Copenhagen would lead the way for a Scandinavian Olympic bid. 

 

“You can easily imagine Copenhagen going together with Malmö or Gothenburg, or even Oslo, and I am positive that a Scandinavian bid would be taken seriously,” Heiberg told Politiken. 

 

 

But despite the support from key members of the IOC, brining the Olympics to Denmark may still be a long shot. 

 

A previous study by the consultancy Rambøll concluded that hosting the Olympics would be far too expensive. 

 

Sharing the costs with Sweden and Norway would certainly help, but Culture Minister Marianne Jelved told Politiken that she viewed the IOC changes positively but “does not have current plans” to pursue a bid.