Munich 2022 Winter Olympic Games Bid Ruled Out By Referendum Loss

Munich "will not bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics after failing to win the support of the local population in a referendum on whether to bid for the Games," according to Karolos Grohmann of REUTERS. Munich Mayor Christian Ude said the '22 bid "had failed" after all four regions, including the Alpine community of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Munich voted against it after Munich had unsuccessfully pitched for the 2018 Games. Ude said, "I think it was not a problem with a concept but rather a growing criticism of parts of the population with mega sports events." Munich bid hopefuls "needed to win all four elections in the communities where the Games would have been held but instead lost all four of them, some heavily." Results in Garmisch showed 54% voted against the Games "because of environmental, construction and financial concerns." Munich residents voted 52% against the bid while citizens in Traunstein "were even less enthusiastic about it," with close to 60% against (REUTERS, 11/10).