Norwegian Progress Party Votes Against Oslo 2022 Winter Olympics Bid

A majority of those attending the National Congress of the Progress Party, the junior coalition partner of the Norwegian Government, have "voted against going ahead with a bid from Oslo for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics," according to Emily Goddard of INSIDE THE GAMES. The vote "could make it difficult for the Government to provide the financial guarantees required" by the IOC. The right wing Progress Party "claimed that hosting the Olympics and Paralympics would be too costly and could cause funds to be stripped back from other areas, such as healthcare and education." Party youth wing head Atle Simonsen said, "Believing that the Oslo Olympics would cost under 50 billion kroner ($9.3B) is like believing in Santa Claus, when the Sochi Olympics cost 500 billion." However, Oslo 2022 has said that "it is not surprised by the vote and insisted it will carry on with its work on the Olympic and Paralympic bid as before" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 5/4).