Demands deemed pompous reportedly caused Oslo to withdraw Olympic bid

It is fair to say that Oslo and the Olympic movement did not part on friendly terms.

After the Scandinavian capital withdrew its bid for the 2022 Winter Games this week, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement suggesting that government officials had not been “properly briefed on the process.”

The dust-up centers on demands supposedly made by the IOC.

Norwegian politicians were reportedly given a 7,000-page dossier with requirements for potential host cities that included seasonal fruits and cakes in IOC guest rooms and extra-late hours at the hotel bar.

The list, detailed by the Norwegian tabloid VG, also reportedly included:

-- A ceremonial greeting for IOC president Thomas Bach at the airport and a meeting with the king of Norway.

-- New cellphones with local subscriptions for all IOC members.

-- Meeting rooms kept at precisely 68 degrees.

-- Dedicated lanes on all roads where IOC members travel.

Norwegian Finance Minister Siv Jensen decried the “pompousness” of the requests and told the NTB news agency that her country’s refusal to accede “sends a very powerful message to the International Olympic Committee that it needs more modesty and be closer to the people in future Olympic events.”

The IOC has been left to choose between Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan, for the 2022 Olympics.