An Olympic Games in Switzerland financed in part by private funds?

Switzerland's ambition is to host major international sporting events in the future, including the 2038 Winter Olympics. In the past, this project has come up against the refusal of the people of Valais and Graubünden to finance a bid using public funds. This time, the model envisaged would be different: the financing would be based largely on private capital.

Interviewed by RTS, Swiss Olympic President Ruth Metzler-Arnold explained that the organisation was inspired by successful precedents, such as the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and those of Paris 2024. In the case of Paris, according to the French government, 96 % of the organising committee's budget was provided by private funds. This approach would primarily concern the operational budget.

Expenditure in the public interest, such as security, would continue to be covered by the Confederation and the cantons, as is the case for all major events.

The main change for the 2038 Games, however, is the financial guarantees required by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Unlike previous projects, these will not be covered by the state. «We are in discussions with major Swiss companies and wealthy individuals to find out whether they would be prepared to provide a deficit guarantee of around 200 million Swiss francs for these Games,» explains Ruth Metzler-Arnold.

For the IOC, which is only negotiating with Switzerland for the 2038 event, a solid financial guarantee is essential. In Switzerland, if we want to avoid another rejection by Parliament or the people, private funding appears to be the only possible option.

For the time being, Switzerland will have to live in the present with a sense of urgency. 2026 Olympics is fast approaching and the Swiss delegation which will grow rapidly over the next few days. For the moment, only the curling teams have the names of the 11 athletes who will be in Northern Italy next February.