Oslo 2022 Bid Hit with Financial Blow

Oslo’s bid to host the winter olympic and paralympic games in 2022 has suffered a major blow after the government decided not to support the bid financially.

The right wing populist Progress Party adopted a resolution during its congress on Sunday which said hosting the Olympics would be too costly and take funds away from essential areas such as healthcare and education.

Atle Simonsen, head of the party’s youth wing said that believing that the Oslo Olympics would cost below $8.3bn is like believing in Santa Claus, when the Sochi ones cost $83bn.

Norway’s prime minister and conservative leader Erna Solberg said that it was too early to decide on how to proceed as they first need to agree with the city of Oslo on the cost and how to divide them.

This marks a new bump on the 2022 winter games’ road, as Krakow’s bid is facing a referendum and Lviv’s one is put on hold until after the national presidential elections, taking place on May the 25th.

The host city for the 2022 games will be chosen by the IOC in Kuala Lumpur on July the 31st, 2015.