bold Dream

🎧Audio version

Before it welcomed the world in 1984, Sarajevo was not a global winter sports capital. The idea of hosting the Olympic Games was a bold, almost audacious, dream. This is the story of that dream—of how a city, rich in history but an underdog in the sporting world, harnessed its unique spirit to convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and capture the world's imagination, turning an ambitious vision into a celebrated reality.

From a Local Pastime to an Olympic Vision

For generations, Sarajevans enjoyed winter on the surrounding mountains. Skiing had a long tradition on Jahorina, and the city's steep alleys were perfect for liguranje, a thrilling local form of tobogganing on small wooden sleds. But internationally, Sarajevo was a virtual unknown in winter sports; luge and bobsled were sports "entirely unknown" to the public. Most of Yugoslavia’s winter sports infrastructure and athletes were concentrated in Slovenia.

The dream of hosting the Olympics began as a whisper in the late 1960s, sparked by a 1968 international study that highlighted the region's incredible, untapped potential for winter tourism. This report ignited the imagination of local sports enthusiasts and city officials. They saw a chance to use the Games as a catalyst for development, to build world-class facilities, and to share their city with the world. The ambition was so great that even one of its key supporters, Yugoslav IOC member Boris Bakrač, jokingly advised them to "submit the bid, but pray to God we don't get it!".

The Race for the Games

By 1977, the dream was a serious mission. The city formed a committee and officially submitted its candidacy for the 1984 Winter Games. Sarajevo entered the race as a clear underdog against two formidable opponents: Sapporo, Japan, which had hosted the 1972 Winter Games, and the strong Swedish candidate, Göteborg.

The Sarajevo delegation campaigned tirelessly, promoting their city’s unique advantages. On May 18, 1978, at the IOC session in Athens, the final vote took place. The atmosphere was tense. In the first round of voting, Sapporo led Sarajevo by a narrow margin. With Göteborg eliminated, it came down to a thrilling final showdown between the favorite and the underdog. In a stunning result, Sarajevo won the second round by a vote of 39 to 36. The improbable had happened. As one report put it, it was a "victory of David over Goliath".

A Surprising Victory and a Curious World

The world was surprised, even skeptical. Yugoslavia had never won a single Winter Olympic medal, and the country was facing economic challenges. Many journalists were asking, "Sarajevo! Which town is it and what is it like?".

But Sarajevo had won for compelling reasons. Its bid presented a compact Games, with all venues located within a 25-kilometer radius of the city center—a huge logistical advantage. It offered the chance to open up a brand-new, beautiful region to the world of winter sports. Furthermore, in a Cold War era marked by Olympic boycotts, non-aligned Yugoslavia was seen as a neutral and unifying host, a place where athletes from East and West could come together in the spirit of the Games.

IOC President Lord Killanin praised the choice, stating that "Yugoslavia has never been awarded the Olympic Games and that Sarajevo represented a new, interesting and attractive area". The surprise quickly turned to curiosity. The world's attention was now fixed on Sarajevo, waiting to see how this city of bold dreams would prepare for its moment in the global spotlight.