back on track

🎧Audio version

Sarajevo, a city that once captivated the world with its vibrant Olympic spirit, has risen from the ashes of conflict, demonstrating remarkable resilience and a profound commitment to its Olympic legacy. The echoes of the 1984 Winter Games resonate once more, as Sarajevo proudly reclaims its place on the international stage, drawing visitors and igniting a new generation's passion for sport. The city, scarred but never broken, has undergone a breathtaking transformation, with its iconic venues reborn and the Olympic flame symbolically returning in 2019. The Olympic spirit, once a dream, then a memory, is now a living, breathing reality, welcoming the world back on track.

Venues and Symbols Revitalized

The devastation of the 1990s war left many of Sarajevo's cherished Olympic venues in ruins. Yet, with unwavering determination and international support, the city embarked on an ambitious journey of reconstruction. The city’s main arenas, Zetra Olympic Hall and Skenderija Center, were meticulously rebuilt. Zetra, destroyed in a fire, was reborn in 1999 as the Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall thanks to major funding from the IOC. Skenderija was renovated by 2006 and once again thrives as a cultural and sporting hub, attracting over 500,000 visitors annually.

A powerful symbol of this renewal was the grand reopening of the Olympic Museum in October 2020. Completely destroyed on one of the first days of the siege, it was restored 28 years later, with Prince Albert II of Monaco attending the ceremony, underscoring the world’s enduring connection to Sarajevo's Olympic story.

The Olympic mountains have also seen renewed life, with infrastructure on Bjelašnica, Jahorina, and Igman upgraded for the 2019 Youth Olympics. However, the path to recovery has its challenges. The ruined Hotel Igman, a key Olympic site, was sold in 2022 with grand promises of renewal, but its reconstruction has yet to begin, standing as a stark reminder of the complexities of post-war revival.

Bobsled Track & The Cable Car's Return

Just above the city, the iconic bobsled and luge track, a marvel of 1984 engineering, stood for years as a silent monument to the war, its concrete shell a canvas for vibrant street art. Today, it has found new purpose, used for summer luge training and by thrill-seeking cyclists. Its revival is closely linked to the incredible story of the Trebević Cable Car.

Destroyed in the war, its return was made possible by the persistence and generosity of Dr. Edmond Offerman, a physicist whose wife is from Sarajevo. After years of bureaucratic delays that nearly caused him to withdraw his multi-million KM donation, the city finally cleared the way. The new cable car, a 20 million KM project, triumphantly opened on April 6, 2018, once again connecting the city to its beloved mountain and bringing new energy and visitors to the historic bobsled track.

The Olympic Flame Returns: EYOF 2019

The ultimate symbol of Sarajevo's resurgence arrived in February 2019 with the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (EYOF). Thirty-five years after the XIV Winter Olympics, the Olympic flame, a beacon of peace and unity, was rekindled at Koševo Stadium. This prestigious event welcomed over a thousand young athletes from 46 states, creating a powerful moment of reconciliation and hope. Sarajevo and East Sarajevo jointly hosted the festival, demonstrating how sport can transcend political divisions and bring communities together. The EYOF not only reignited the city's Olympic spirit but also stimulated tourism and the local economy, firmly placing Sarajevo back on the map as an attractive winter tourist destination in Europe.