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Oslo, Norway withdraws 2022 Olympics bid

2022 Winter Olympic bidders are dropping like flies after Russia spent a record $51 billion on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

By Aileen Graef
The Olympic rings are displayed during the Opening Ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on February 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. UPI/Kevin Dietsch
The Olympic rings are displayed during the Opening Ceremony for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on February 7, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. UPI/Kevin Dietsch | License Photo

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- There are two options left after Norway withdrew their bid from the International Olympic Committee to have the 2022 Winter Olympics in Oslo.

The decision to cease the application came after both the conservative and progressive parties failed to rally enough support to host the games for a third time. This comes after Russia spent a record $51 billion on the Olympics in Sochi for the 2014 games -- a number allegedly boosted by corruption and poor planning.

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Norway has vowed to spend a tenth of that figure if it were to host the games, but could not counteract the public fear the number would jump.

"We've received clear advice and there is no reason not to follow this advice," Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg said. "A big project like this, which is so expensive, requires broad popular support and there isn't enough support for it."

Stockholm, Krakow, and Lviv have all withdrawn their applications as well and Switzerland's St. Moritz and Germany's Munich have dropped discussions for fear of the high cost. This leaves Beijing, China an and Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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The 2018 Winter Olympics will be in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

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