The observers’ programme for the candidate cities was cancelled by the IOC at the Beijing Games, but not all the candidates for the 2030 Winter Games have given up on making the trip to China. The proof is in the meeting organised on Wednesday 9 February in Beijing between the Spanish Olympic Committee and its Bosnian counterpart. Alejandro Blanco, the president of the Spanish body, and the secretary general, Victoria Cabezas, met their Bosnian counterparts in the Beijing Games bubble. At the centre of the discussions was the Barcelona and Pyrenees bid for the 2030 Winter Games. The Spanish camp is currently working on the idea of including events in Sarajevo, the host city of the 1984 Winter Games, in its Olympic programme. At this stage, the project remains very hypothetical, but it has been described as excellent by representatives of the Bosnian Olympic Committee. In such a scenario, Sarajevo would host the Nordic combined, ski jumping, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions. The 1984 Winter Games venues would be renovated, with the Spanish side bearing part of the costs. About a quarter of the athletes would stay in Bosnia. Discussions are due to continue next week in Madrid. A delegation from the Barcelona/Pyrenees 2030 bid is then expected to travel to Sarajevo next month to inspect the venues.
