Ski body chief favours Oslo for 2022 Winter Games

Oslo is the strongest candidate to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the president of the International Ski Federation (FIS) said in an interview on Saturday with German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "In my eyes, Oslo would be the strongest candidate. You only have to think of (Olso's ski jump venue) Holmenkollen, beneath which 120,000 spectators are massed," said FIS president Gianfranco Kasper. The Norwegian capital, Sweden's Ostersund and Germany's Munich are all potential candidates for the 2022 Winter Games, with applications to close on November 14 and the decision to be announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July 2015. Kasper says Oslo's bid will benefit from the success of the successful Lillehammer Winter Games in 1994. "The name is still strong, the memory of the magic of the 1994 Games and atmosphere still generate good memories for many people," said the FIS President. With Germany's Thomas Bach having been voted IOC president and Munich having bid unsuccessfully for the 2018 Winter Games, Switzerland's Kasper said he believes it "would be better for Germany to remain discreet for one or two years" in terms of future bids. Source: AFP