The 2038 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are to be held in Switzerland. The Federal Council backed the corresponding plans on Friday and will support them financially. The extent to which this is to happen was initially unclear.
27.09.2024, 13:00
27.09.2024, 13:22
SDA
The Federal Council sees the Games as a "great opportunity for the country", as it announced. Among other things, it is thinking of the further development of sport, technical innovations, the promotion of social cohesion and Switzerland's reputation. "Major international sporting events can trigger positive impulses in society and the economy."
The national government decided to support the bid work of the "2038 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games" association for a possible staging of the Games in 14 years' time with a working group until the end of 2027. Sports Minister Viola Amherd's department must draw up a planning decision by the end of June 2026 that sets out the time, financial and material parameters for the Confederation's support of the project.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) passed over Switzerland at the end of November 2023 when awarding the 2030 Winter Olympics. The French Alps were given the go-ahead. The Games will be held in the USA in 2034. However, the IOC offered Switzerland the prospect of a privileged dialog with regard to hosting the 2038 Games. This means that if the Swiss bid meets the requirements, it will be awarded the final bid by the end of 2027 at the latest - without having to compete against other candidates.
Long list of disappointments
Switzerland can look back on a long list of Olympic bids and a series of disappointments. After hosting the Winter Games twice in 1928 and 1948 (both times in St. Moritz GR), there have been several attempts at Swiss Olympic bids in recent decades, several of which have failed at the ballot box.
The euphoric bid with Sion VS for 2006 failed at the IOC, with a majority in favor of Turin. And plans for the 2010 Games in Bern and 2026 in Graubünden and Valais respectively failed at the ballot box after voters refused millions in loans.
But this time things are set to be different: A feasibility study for the Winter Olympics in Switzerland from 2030 envisages decentralized games, on existing facilities, in all four language regions and largely privately financed. According to a recent survey by Swiss Olympic, two thirds of Swiss citizens are in favor of the new Olympic plans.