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Sweden has failed for the ninth time with its bid to host a Winter Olympics. The latest rejection came Wednesday when the IOC opted for a late French bid to stage the 2030 games rather than ones from Switzerland and Sweden. The Swedes are somewhat puzzled. It seemed that the IOC was pushing for a Swedish bid. Sweden had support from local and national government, from the business world and from sports organizations. The bid was economically sound and environmentally sustainable as required by the IOC. Maybe there is a wider and cultural factor in play. Swedish Olympic official Hans von Uthmann asks: "Is the Swedish way not compatible with what the IOC expects?"
