Sapporo expected to give up Games bid

Calgary’s path to a potential 2026 Winter Olympics bid could become even less crowded with the Japanese city of Sapporo expected to end its pursuit of the Games.

That would leave Calgary and three other possible candidates as the International Olympic Committee struggles to find hosts — particularly for the Winter Games.

A Sapporo official said deputy mayor Takatohsi Machida and Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda will meet IOC president Thomas Bach on Monday. “We haven’t officially announced other items to be discussed with the IOC, however, I understand various matters might come up,” city spokesman Akihiro Okumura said Friday.

The expected withdrawal — widely reported in Japan — isn’t a surprise. It comes a week after an earthquake killed about 40 people on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. In addition, city officials said four months ago they were more likely to bid for 2030.

Christophe Dubi, the executive director of the Olympic Games, could not confirm Sapporo’s withdrawal. “So far they haven’t told me they aren’t bidding,” Dubi told The Associated Press.

Besides Calgary, the other cities still in contention are Stockholm, Sweden; a three-way Italian bid from Turin, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo; and Erzurum, Turkey.

Dubi said some — or all — will be invited to IOC meetings in October in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to go forward and submit official bids by February. The winner will be named in September 2019.

Calgary is to hold a plebiscite to determine public support for its bid on Nov. 13 after councillors voted earlier this week to continue the bid process.

“They (Calgary) have great raw material to work with, but at the same time they have to convince everyone on the 13th of November that it’s the right thing to do for the next 30 years,” Dubi said.

Bach has said he wants to return to a “traditional winter venue” after Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and Pyeongchang, South Korea.