Norway Pulling Oslo's Bid For '22 Games, Citing Lack Of Support

Norway's government today said that it is withdrawing Oslo's bid to host the '22 Winter Games, leaving Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, as the only remaining contenders. Norway "will quit the race after the ruling Conservative and Progress parties both declined support." Prime Minister Erna Solberg said, "A big project like this, which is so expensive, requires broad popular support and there isn't enough support for it" (REUTERS, 10/1).

The Wall Street Journal's Sara Germano tweeted, "No country has won more Winter Olympics medals than Norway, so it's saying something that they don't wanna host again." Former LOCOG exec Alex Balfour: "Sochi's legacy is to have all but killed off the Winter Olympics."