Winter Olympics: majority opposes key Sion 2026 funding plan
Sion in south-west Switzerland is bidding to host the 2026 Winter Games
Keystone
Most voters in canton Valais oppose the idea of allocating CHF100 million ($100 million) towards the Sion 2026 Winter Olympics bid, an opinion poll shows.
This content was published on
2 minutes
RTS/swissinfo.ch/sb
Português
pt
Maioria dos eleitores é contra os Jogos Olímpicos de Inverno em Sion 2026
A total of 58% of people questioned said they would vote “no” or “probably no” in an upcoming vote on the funding of the Sion 2026 Winter Olympics bid. This compared with 42% who said they would vote “yes” or “probably yes”, according to a poll conducted by the research institute SotomoExternal link, on behalf of Swiss public television, RTS. Two per cent of voters were undecided.
External Content
On June 10, voters in canton Valais have a crucial say on Sion 2026 funding in a local referendum. The question being put before them is whether canton Valais should allocate CHF100 million for the Sion bid – CHF60 million for infrastructure and CHF40 million for security. Since funding is key, the outcome of the cantonal vote is likely to be decisive.
The poll, published on Tuesday, showed that only 32% of women back the funding idea, compared to 49% of men. There are no big differences across age groups. However, there is more support for the Olympic project in the Upper Valais region (48% in favour), compared to French-speaking parts of the canton (39% in favour).
Support was low among people on the left and right of the political spectrum, while opinions were split among those in the centre. The key argument for opponents was the high cost of holding the Games (60% of those questioned), while fans of the Sion 2026 project felt it would put Valais on the world stage (33% of those questioned).
The Swiss Olympic Committee and the Swiss government are backing a joint proposal by Sion, the capital of canton Valais, to host the 2026 Winter Games. The sporting event would spread across four cantons – Valais, Vaud, Bern and Fribourg – and mostly make use of already existing infrastructure. Last October, the Swiss government promised to contribute almost CHF1 billion ($1 billion) if it is chosen.
More
More
Should Switzerland hold the Olympic Games?
This content was published on
Locals from Arth-Goldau, an alpine town in central Switzerland, give their views on the Olympic Games.
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
This content was published on
Swiss wheelchair racer Catherine Debrunner won the 5,000 metres to bring home Switzerland’s first gold medal at the Paralympics in Paris.
IOC president expresses hopes for Swiss Olympic bid
This content was published on
“The debate is just beginning”, the IOC head told Swiss Public Television RTS, just one day after an opinion poll published in the Swiss media revealed that only 36% of respondents supported the so-called Sion 2026 campaign for the southern Swiss canton of Valais. + Swiss poll finds strong opposition to 2026 Winter Games “It’s…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.