By Duncan Mackay

Oslo today officially launched its bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics @Oslo 2022November 13 - Oslo today promised "a very compact, low-cost Olympics" as they officially launched their campaign for 2022.


The Norwegian capital claimed they would rely on their sporting infrastructure and spend just 33 billion crowns (£3 billion/$5 billion/€3.8 billion) on the event, a fraction of the $50 billion (£31 billion/€37 billion) Russia is reportedly splashing on Sochi 2014. 

"Sochi will spend ten times this much and 2018 host Pyeongchang [in South Korea] will also spend far above this," Per Toeien, a spokesman for Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF), said after confirming that they have written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to submit their bid.

"We are planning a very compact, low-cost Olympics."

Oslo plans to hold as many events as close to the capital as possible, including the ski jumping at the legendary Holmenkollen @GettyOslo plans to hold as many events as close to the capital as possible, including the ski jumping at the legendary Holmenkollen @Getty Images

Oslo's plan is hold most events within the city with Alpine skiing, bobsleigh and the luge taking place 200 kilometres away at facilities already built at Lillehammer, which hosted the 1994 Olympics and Paralympics, the last occasion they were held in Norway, and is also due to stage the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics. 

Oslo has hosted the Winter Olympics once before, in 1952, when 694 athletes from 30 countries competed in six sports.

Oslo is positioning itself a strong, safe choice to host the Games, presenting an opportunity to avoid some of the problems that the IOC have faced in other host cities, particularly Sochi.

"We believe that Norway, Oslo Norwegian sports and better than anyone else in the world can respond to challenges IOC and the international sports world faces," said Børre Rognlien, President of the NIF.

"The Olympics and Paralympics is first and foremost about athletes - athletes from around the world gather for competitions regardless of culture, religion, sexual orientation - in respect for human dignity."

Norway also claims that it is the cradle of winter Olympic sports having won medals than any other country since the first Games at Chamonix in 1924.

They have won a total of 303 medals, including 107 gold, 20 more than closest rival, the United States. 

Oslo's Olympic Commissioner Hallstein Bjercke and NIF President Børre Rognlien after the Norwegian capital had submitted its bid for 2022 to the IOCOslo's Olympic Commissioner Hallstein Bjercke and NIF President Børre Rognlien after the Norwegian capital had submitted its bid for 2022 to the IOC @NIF

"The Games will inspire, support the community and bring sense of belonging in the nation," Hallstein Bjercke, Commissioner for Culture and Business Development at City of Oslo, who will also have responsibility for the bid.

"It will be a unique opportunity to showcase Norway as an attractive place to live, work, study, invest and visit.

"We have an exciting and solid concept that has a good chance to beat the very best international competitors.

"In addition, we are a people with a burning interest in winter sports, a passion we can generously share with the rest of the world in 2022."

Oslo have decided to bid following a referendum held in September in which a majority of local citizens backed the plan.

Similar referendums in Munich an St Moritz and Davos had voted against bidding for the Olympics, ruling out two of Oslo's potentially biggest rivals.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) deadline for cities wanting to bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics is due tomorow.

Besides Oslo, other cities to have publicly claim they are bidding are Almaty in Kazakhstan and Lviv in Ukraine, along with joint bids from Beijing and Zhangjiakou in China and Poland and Slovakia with Krakow as the focus.

The IOC are due to announce on Friday (November 15) which cities have applied before the deadline.

"I strongly believe that an Olympic application from Norway and Oslo will be a very strong contender in this tough international competition," said Stian Berger Røsland, the Governing Mayor of Oslo.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
November 2013: Exclusive - Oslo confirm they will bid for 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics
September 2013: Oslo residents vote in favour of 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic bid
September 2013: Oslo holds referendum and Barcelona indicates willingness as 2022 Winter Olympic bid plans escalate
June 2013: Oslo applies for financial Governmental guarantee for 2022 Olympics and Paralympics
June 2013: Oslo 2022 bid backed by City Council - now it awaits the public's verdict