According to the Global Times report on 15th, it is the deadline for the 2022 Winter Olympics host city applying on the 14th, November. The Norwegian capital, Oslo, joins the bidding group at the last moment. So far, the five primary rivals for Beijing and Zhangjiakou have been determined and they are Almaty (Kazakhstan), Lviv(Ukraine), the joint for Krakow (Poland) and Jasna (Slovakia), Stockholm( Sweden) and Oslo( Norway).

The application, which is for hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Stockholm, is submitted by Swedish Olympic Committee only two days earlier than Oslo. The “just-in-time” submitting application reflects that the two countries’ cautious attitude to bid for the Winter Olympic under the current economic environment. This application is just the first step for the whole procedure. Each applied city should submit official application report to the International Olympic Committee by March, 2014. The Swedish Olympic Committee said that they would reach a consensus with such organizations as Stockholm municipal government, etc., ensure that it will not lose money so as to continue the bidding, otherwise, maybe, they would abandon.

Recently, the Swedish Olympic Committee, Paralympic Games and Sports Federation jointly issued a statement that hosting the Winter Olympics “will bring a surprise to the world. Hosting the event in large city is an innovative and unique experience.” Regarding the bidding enthusiasm, the Stockholm has the same mass basis with its rival, Oslo. The recent poll indicates that 55.1% Oslo residents support to the bidding.

No matter Oslo or Sweden, the two Nordic Europe cities’ winter sports develop well, and they have traditional winter sports strengths as well. Besides, both Norway and Sweden have complete winter sports facility, possessing the unique advantage of hosting the winter event. Therefore, there is no doubt that the joining of Oslo and Sweden must make the bidding of the 2022 Winter Olympics more intense.

Unlike the two Nordic Europe cities, which apply for bidding at the last moment, the Kazakhstan’s capital, Almaty, confident and acted early, applied on August. The vice-chairman of the Olympic Committee, Novikov said that it was the third time for the Almaty to bid for the Winter Olympics,” and it is nearer to the goal than ever before”. Almaty held Asian Winter Games in 2009 and Winter Universiade in 2017. “It is natural for us to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.”

Most of the citizens support the Almaty to bid for the Winter Olympics with enthusiasm. Many net citizens leave a message that Almaty is “born for Winter Game”, with unique natural condition and long skating & skiing; quite a few citizens hope to improve the city image and municipal implementations by hosting the Winter Olympics.  The deputy director of Kazakhstan Sports Administration, Kanatov said,” bidding for the Winter Olympics is a “politic far-sighted decision”. The Kazakhstan hopes to continuously accumulate the experience for hosing major sports events in a step-by-step way. At present, the Kazakhstan actively prepare for the 2017 Winter Universiade, plan to build luge track, a stadium with an accommodation of 12 thousand and a skating rink with an accommodation of 3000. Besides, it also establishes a college city, which can be used for Olympic Village.