Reviving the Flame

4.6. Today’s Swiss’ Candidacy
This context analysis offers a good incentive on the ongoing situation in which the Sion 2026’ candidacy
evolves. Overall, it appears that there is a general consciousness of climate changes, and nature
conservation. Swiss people take clear decision to change these issues by voting specific laws to reduce the
number of secondary homes building (Lex Weber, LaT) and their CO2 emission (Energy 2050). Nonetheless,
it has a direct influence on the Alpine canton that relies mostly on tourism through secondary homes. The
area already copes with climate change and its impact on the winter season, which makes it more
challenging to bring the youth back on the slopes and be interested to winter sports.
The committee Sion 2026 believes that hosting the Olympic Winter Games can foster positive legacies
for the alpine region and for Switzerland. Their aim to bring long-term heritages in various domain like
sport, tourism, or economy, and to control budgets while emphasizing sustainable development,
demonstrates a clear desire to organise the Games differently. Nonetheless, people show a strong
scepticism when it comes to SME like the OG, particularly because of the IOC’s credibility. It is believed that
the IOC is too corrupted to change, which drives populations not to welcome the OG anymore. Such
aversion was demonstrated for the Winter Games 2026 by the referendum in Austria that refused to bid.
However, the IOC took note of the wide criticism toward gigantism since 2014 and the Sotchi Winter
Games. At that time, the IOC introduced the Agenda 20 20, presenting 40 recommendations targeting most
criticised issues linked to the organisation of the Games. Therefore, the agenda asks new candidate to
include sustainability in all steps of the organisation, maximise the utilisation of existing infrastructure,
favour the inclusion of inhabitants in the creation of the event, and promote sport in the population.
Thus, the situation for Sion 2026 is very complex. While the country is considered a mature market, and
needs to be rejuvenated, people fear cost overruns and widely nurture the ongoing debates on whether to
bid or not. Criticisms target the budget, though it has never been so low for the Games, and people do not
believe outcomes can positive.
Therefore, the present study concentrates on highlighting the potential legacies that can arise from the
organisation of a SME like the Games. Based on the literature review, the author conducted interviews to
determine what is meant by “human size event”. She also considers communities’ issues to be a capital
topic to embody this work. The “community” domain includes themes directly related to the population
that are sport, national cohesion, or the environment. The following chapters present the interviews
analysis and expose the author’s findings to the reader.
Context 23