PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics organizers said on Monday that they had "no
intention of moving any events outside South Korea, following reports
that some competitions may be shifted to Japan in an effort to save
costs," according to the AFP. A PyeongChang Organizing Committee spokesperson said, "All necessary preparations are underway ... on the
assumption that all competitions will be held as planned." The statement followed reports that the "bobsleigh and luge events may be shifted to the Japanese city of Nagano." Organizing committee spokesperson Shin Moo-Chul stressed that "moving
events to Japan was not being considered as an option, especially given
current diplomatic tensions between Japan and South Korea over a number
of territorial and historical disputes." Shin: "It is our stance that holding some competitions in (Japan) will be very difficult, given the public sentiment here" (AFP, 12/8). The AP's Stephen Wilson reported Olympic officials said that a dozen different bobsled and luge tracks around the world "could step in to host events for the 2018 Winter Games if the sliding venue is moved out of South Korea." The move was requested by the IOC as part of "new cost-cutting reforms." Swedish IOC Exec Board Member Gunilla Lindberg, who heads the coordination commission for the Pyeongchang Games, said, "It's their decision in the end. But at least we're going to help them identify where the sliding centers are, where the options are. In the end, they stay in PyeongChang or they take this great opportunity." Lindberg said the IOC has set a March deadline for a decision (AP, 12/8).
