Will Pyeongchang Win Olympic Bid this time?

The general meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Guatemala is only six months away now. However, it is still unclear which city will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Austria’s Salzburg, currently favored by more nations than any other city, thanks to the European community, Russia’s Sochi armed with huge oil wealth and Pyeongchang that has a bid experience for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and a favorable position in terms of conflict interests among continents, are all anxious about the final result as the big day is coming up.

An official of 2014 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Olympic Games Bid Committee says, “The odds for Pyeongchang is currently 50/50.” Pyeongchang, Salzburg and Sochi are all considered as being capable of hosting the Winter Olympic Games.

Pyeongchang has to compete against Salzburg again, which it bid against in the 2010 host city competition, and will vie against Sochi, backed by nation-wide support from Russian, at the same time. It has been difficult to say which city is more likely to win up until now, but Pyeongchang certainly has potential.

This is because once the interests of continents are well resolved and several obstacles are removed, Pyeongchang has no disadvantages at all.

In addition, Pyeongchang has its own reason and vision to host the Winter Olympic Games.

Pyeongchang is differentiating its bid for 2014 Winter Olympic Games from other candidate cities by promoting its ideal condition to accommodate winter sports, spread of Olympic spirit, Olympic Games for future generations, peace on the Korean peninsula, the world’s only divided country, and the realization of peace and reconciliation, the symbol of the Olympic Games. The government is equally determined to help Pyeongchang’s bid.

However, there are problems as well. Insufficient infrastructure, limitations in promoting activities because of a decreased number of Korean IOC members, and a deteriorating situation for Pyeongchang to promote hosting the Games due to other Korean cities’ bid to hold international sports events could play against Pyeongchang.

Salzburg and Sochi are serious competition.

Salzburg is basically well prepared for winter sports. It has made up for the weak points it had when it bid for 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Large corporations sponsor its bid and it started to supplement facilities for opening and closing ceremonies.

However, Salzburg’s residents and the government’s support are relatively unsatisfactory compared to the passion of Salzburg bid committee. This could be a plus for Pyeongchang.

The Russian government is giving huge material support to Sochi to host the winter Olympic Games.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his commitment to infrastructure development for winter Olympic Games last March. Last January, the Russian government already approved an investment worth of $11.7 billion in Olympic Games infrastructures for a period of eight years (2006-2014). However, its basic facilities are poor and it has no experience in holding an international events.

The superiority of candidate cities will be revealed to some degree in April when IOC finishes its field survey on three candidate cities. The final result will be announced at the general meeting of IOC at 7:00 a.m. on July 5 (5 p.m. on July 4 in Guatemala).

cschoi@donga.com