Pyeongchang chief rules out sharing 2018 Winter Games

Cho Yang-Ho, the chief of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics organising committee, has ruled out moving some events out of South Korea despite concerns over construction delays and financial problems.
In his first appearance at a press conference since he took the post in July 2014, Cho on Monday condemned the option of sharing some events with cities other than the host Pyeongchang and its nearby venues.
"Barring any natural disaster that would be extremely disturbing to hosting events at planned venues, there will simply be no sharing of events," Cho said.
"Talking about sharing at this moment only creates confusion and undermines the country's international credibility", he said.
Preparations have been badly hit by financial problems, construction delays and political infighting between the organisers, provincial officials and the national government.
The option of moving some sliding events -- such as bobsleigh and luge -- to Nagano in Japan had been mooted when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) adopted a series of reforms in December allowing future Games hosts more flexibility in the sports they stage and where they stage them.
But South Korea's preparations were too advanced to consider venue changes, Cho said.
The sharing proposal is designed to help rein-in snowballing costs for hosting mega sporting events.
The Winter Games are costing South Korea a reported 11.4 trillion won ($10.4  billion) in building facilities and infrastructure.
In addition, the hosting province of Gangwon, one of the country's poorest regions, is expected to have to spend millions of dollars maintaining facilities after the Games, local news reports have said.
Critics have pointed to the South Korean city of Incheon  -- which is facing a $3 billion debt after hosting the 2014 Asian Games while its main stadium and other venues remain idle -- as an example of the fate that awaits Pyeongchang.
Source: AFP