Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 15
By Orkhan Quluzade – Trend:
A campaign on nominating Turkey’s Erzurum for holding the 2026 Winter Olympics has started, said Mustafa Ilicak, Turkish MP from the Erzurum province, the Turkish media reported Mar. 15.
Ilicak noted that Erzurum successfully held the 2011 Winter Universiade.
“About one billion Turkish liras were invested in the province’s sports infrastructure. The European Youth Olympic Winter Festival with participation of 34 countries has also been held recently in the province,” noted the Turkish MP. “I believe that the Winter Olympics can also be held in the province.”
He said that some competitions of the Winter Olympics may be held in neighboring provinces of Erzincan and Kars.
The Turkish government is also supporting this initiative, added Ilicak.
“The Erzurum, Erzincan and Kars provinces will be connected by a high-speed railway line until 2023,” said the MP. “In September we will send a letter of intent and an application to the International Olympic Committee.”
The Winter Olympics will be held in South Korea in 2018 and in China in 2022.
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