The city of Sarajevo celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Winter Olympic Games in 1984. For these first Olympic Games in this region of Europe, Sarajevo welcomed nearly 3.000 athletes, coaches and officials from 49 countries. The city also took advantage of the event to acquire new alpine and Nordic ski slopes, a jumping hill, a bobsleigh and toboggan run, an ice rink and dozens of apartment buildings. housing and hotels. The Winter Games in 1984 also allowed it to modernize its heating system, switching from coal to gas, expand its airport and extend its road network. The sports facilities are now abandoned, but Izet Radjo, the president of the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina, assured this on the occasion of the 40th anniversary ceremony: “Our Olympic spirit is alive“.

A message relayed by Thomas Bach, the President of the IOC, in a video broadcast during the anniversary gala: “Most important is the legacy of the Sarajevo 1984 Olympic Winter Games, which represents the power of sport to overcome the scourge of war and give us hope and strength to shape a better future. » Proof of the strength of the legacy of the 1984 Winter Games, Sarajevo is now considering entering the race to host the Winter Youth Games in 2032.