site.btaIOC Member Lecheva: Sofia Has Chance to Host Winter Olympics

Former caretaker minister of youth and sports and current member of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Public Affairs and Corporate Communications Commission, Vesela Lecheva, told the Bulgarian National Radio here on Saturday that Sofia will have a chance to host the Winter Olympics after the IOC opens the door for more candidates. Lecheva's statement comes after in Mumbai on October 15, the IOC approved the principle of a double allocation for the Olympic Winter Games in 2030 and in 2034, should the appropriate conditions exist.

The proposal was supported by the presidents of all seven Olympic Winter Sports International Federations and was unanimously approved by the IOC Session. The proposal was made in order to allow more time for the Olympic Movement to address the challenges made clear by the preliminary findings of a report looking at the impact of climate change on the Olympic Winter Games, which was also presented to the IOC Executive Board. It reveals a reduction in the pool of potential hosts by 2040 and further by mid-century.

Lecheva said: "Our capital's opportunity is in shared hosting, which is already being discussed because of increased costs and climate change. According to a recent report considered during the IOC session, no more than 10 countries can take on hosting the Winter Games at the moment. We have already bid once, and we came close to winning. We have good winter resorts, and we have accumulated organizational experience in World and European Cups and Championships".

Lecheva also reported that weightlifting will remain on the Olympic programme for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, on the condition that a fully transparent anti-doping policy is implemented. Modern pentathlon will also remain on the programme.

Lecheva commented on her relations with the current Sports Minister, Dimitar Iliev, saying that she sees in him willingness to build on what has already been achieved rather than to start from scratch.