Sports hero Magyar criticizes Swiss Olympic plans: “The 2030 Olympic project is a sham”

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He is perhaps the Swiss with the most experience when it comes to big things in Swiss sport. Patrick Magyar (60) was director of Weltklasse Zurich for many years, he was boss of the 2014 European Athletics Championships, chairman of Swiss athletics, worked at Fifa as CEO of marketing and was general manager of Alinghi sailors at the America’s Cup.

But when it comes to the dream giant in Swiss sport, Magyar has reservations. He is critical of the planned 2030 Winter Olympics. He says: “Anyone who is in favor of Swiss sport cannot be in favor of holding the 2030 Olympic Games!”

Magyar describes the budget as window dressing

Magyar bases his statement on four key points. The first: “The cost-benefit balance for the sport is very poor.” The former athletics maker believes that the 1.5 billion francs budget mentioned in the Swiss Olympic feasibility study is money being used in the wrong place. “For this money, fifty events such as the European Athletics Championships could be held. The impact of 50 smaller events would be much more sustainable for Swiss sport.” The fact that the existing infrastructure will be used in 2030 is a good thing. “But it is unclear what and where should be retrofitted.”

Magyar also sees the 1.5 billion as window dressing and calls it “the most optimistic Olympic budget of all time”. The security costs alone would amount to an additional 400 to 500 million francs.

The feasibility study emphasizes that no government guarantees are needed. But Magyar cites a study from the University of Lausanne, which shows that 34 of the last 39 Olympic Games and World Cups have had a backlog. “It remains unclear who will pay the additional costs in 2030. There is a risk that many SMEs will go bankrupt.” The carpenter who makes ticket booths. The electrician laying cables. The construction company is asphalting a parking lot. «Who safeguards their expenses? The federal government, the cantons, the municipalities? “That needs to be clarified,” says Magyar.

His second point of criticism concerns the IOC. If the games were awarded, the IOC would be concerned about national sensitivities. “In Tokyo, 80 percent of the population was against holding the games in 2021, but the games took place anyway. For Paris 2024, the IOC is pushing ahead with the Russians starting, even though France is against it,” says Magyar. The IOC is an expensive colossus with around 1,500 employees that is under pressure due to declining viewing figures and has practically already awarded the 2034 Games to Salt Lake City for purely financial reasons because of the important American market.

“At the IOC, only 15 of the 115 members represent the sport.”

Magyar’s third point of criticism concerns the credibility of the games. He soon ends up back at the IOC under boss Thomas Bach. Magyar does not believe in the IOC president’s promise to say goodbye to gigantism. “Compared to the IOC, FIFA are choir boys. Only five-star hotels are good enough and there are many helicopter flights between the competition locations. Only 15 of the 115 members represent the sport, the rest are private individuals. Magyar seriously doubts whether the Olympic Games, in collaboration with the IOC, can create a positive image in Switzerland.

Magyar also does not take into account that the federal government demands that any Nasak funds (funds for nationally important sports facilities) for the Olympic Games do not affect the Nasak projects that are anyway planned to be good for the image.

Can winter sports be a driving force for Swiss sport?

In his final point, the former world-class boss mentions the fundamental problem of winter sports. Magyar is critical of Swiss Ski leading the Olympic project: “The 2018 World Ski Championships in St. Moritz was a great event. But there was no sustainability for skiing, there was no flourishing. I doubt whether winter sports can really be the driving force for Swiss sport as a whole, even against the backdrop of global warming.

Magyar claims he is not fundamentally opposed to playing in Switzerland. “Maybe from 2034. But 2030 is a sham. There is far too little time to set up truly sustainable games.” Does the sports parliament also see it that way? It will be voted on on Friday.

Source : Blick