Some people say that nowadays hosting the Olympic Games is in- teresting only for developing countries. Others assume that, for an area to be a Winter Games candidate, it should be a premier winter-sports resort, or at least geographically close to one. That’s why everyone is wondering what in the world Munich is doing throwing its name into the hat. The winter resorts in the Bavarian Alps have long lost their luster and competitiveness. The Green Party in Munich had the “redeeming” idea of giving their stamp of approval to the bid on the condition that the event be the first environmentally friendly, sustainable Winter Olympics. Given the snow conditions in the Bavarian resorts over the last few years—even Garmisch natives go to Austria to ski—and the distances that would have to be traveled every day by thousands of athletes, officials and visitors—their approval essentially amounts to a “No.” Munich’s bid for the Winter Olympic Games in 2018 is simply absurd. But why didn’t city officials, in view of the climate change, instead apply for the more appropriate Summer Games? Because of the irrationality of the winter-sports industry lobby. Do politicians honestly believe, and want to convince the rest of us, that a Winter Olympics, with a battery of snow guns, thousands of truckloads of snow shoveled from high alpine regions as a fall-back solution and an armada of SUV shuttles, will bring back the long-lost luster of winter sports in Bavaria? What the Transrapid is for Mr. Stoiber, seems to be the Winter Olympics for Mr. Ude. Sometimes I seriously wonder if our politicians are in touch with reality.

Sincerely,

Angela Wilson

Publisher