ZURICH (Reuters) - The Swiss government threw its weight behind a bid to host the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, promising on Wednesday to provide up to 1 billion Swiss francs (£772.8 million) to support the campaign. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), based in the Swiss city of Lausanne, has been struggling in recent years to convince potential hosts of the benefits of hosting the Games. "The government sees the Olympic Winter Games as a great opportunity for sport, the economy and society in Switzerland," it said after a cabinet meeting approved public support for the Sion 2026 campaign. Switzerland hosted the Winter Games in 1928 and 1948, both times in St Moritz in the eastern canton of the Grisons. Voters in that canton in February rejected raising money for pursuing a bid.

Source: The Star October 18, 2017 12:00 UTC