麻豆社区

The six sports originally axed from the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Greenland were back on the discussion table this week.

The ministers responsible for sport in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut met with the Arctic Winter Games International Committee Wednesday in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Last month, the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Greenland slashed midget hockey, curling, figure skating, speed skating, gymnastics and dog mushing from scheduled competition due to a lack of infrastructure and hosting capacity in Nuuk.

Local backlash has been strong, Yukon's Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor told the Star.

"When the news first came out earlier this fall, I was contacted by many, many stakeholders from throughout the territory,鈥� she said. "People were very concerned.鈥�

Athletes, officials, and sport groups expressed their disappointment in the move to cut both gymnastics and ice-based sports 鈥� representing approximately 25 per cent of the event's total athletes.

Taylor forwarded her constituents' concerns to the Games committee, and they also discussed possible options and solutions for the 2016 festivities.

One option put forward was splitting the hosting duties between Greenland and Iqaluit.

Greenland previously co-hosted with the Nunavut capital in 2002. At that time, the Games committee decided against co-hosting in the future for a variety of reasons including cost, logistics and the quality of the Games experience for athletes.

"As I understand, those Games were somewhat challenging to organize on a number of levels, but it was really mainly due to the fact that Nunavut was a brand-new territory at that time and they didn't have any experience,鈥� Taylor said.

"Likewise, Greenland had never hosted the Games either.鈥�

But Taylor said satellite venues were put back on the table this week after the Greenland host committee approached Iqaluit as a host for hockey again in 2016.

The possibility of athlete participation in Greenland's opening and closing ceremonies via video conference was also discussed.

Following the meeting, Taylor expressed optimism regarding the possibility of the sports to be re-instated.

"There's definitely a willingness on everyone's part to make something happen here,鈥� she said. "We effectively agreed to work together in fleshing out some of these options, and then reconvening in April 鈥� and hopefully coming up with a decision at that point.

"We want to make sure the Games offer the full complement of sports they have traditionally. To remove 25 per cent is significant. It's like removing a whole generation of sports. These Games are pivotal to the development of our young athletes. As one of my colleagues said yesterday, they are effectively our Olympics.鈥�

The meeting allowed the necessary blueprint for an expanded Games to be discussed, and now talks need to happen between other stakeholders and potential venues.

"This all comes at a cost,鈥� Taylor admitted. "We're very mindful of that. Those options have to be reasonable and relatively affordable.鈥�

In an email to the Star, international Games committee president Gerry Thick said discussions were "positive and instructive.鈥�

The committee has committed to review and cost out the options before meeting again with the political leaders in April.

Thick also reiterated that Greenland will indeed remain host of the 2016 Arctic Winter Games, and that each of the six permanent members of the Games has the privilege and obligation to host the event.

"The Arctic Winter Games does not require host communities to build expensive facilities that have no legacy,鈥� Thick said.

"All options will be carefully reviewed, including sport benefit consideration to all our partners, cost to hosts to host the Games, cost to teams to participate, and impact on future Games.鈥�