Yukon, N.W.T. pledge to host dropped AWG events

Other northern jurisdictions will host the six sports being dropped from the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Greenland. Greenland does not have the facilities to host hockey, curling, figure skating, speed skating, gymnastics and dog mushing.

The Games' international committee met in Vancouver on Sunday to discuss options. It was the first opportunity for political leaders from Greenland, Alaska, Alberta and the three territories to talk over the issue. Yukon Sport Minister, Elaine Taylor, and independent member of the Yukon Legislature, Darius Elias, were there.

Taylor said Iqaluit made it clear it can't host those sports because it's preparing for the next games. "In 2020 some four years later, they will be in fact hosting the Games and the very fact that the city has also agreed to take up a major capital initiative, a new swimming pool worth some $30-$40 million," she said.

Taylor said Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Alaska have said they would host a companion event for the excluded sports. A final decision on where won't be made until the end of this month.

The Arctic Winter Games, held every two years, are considered the "northern Olympics." Sport groups, parents and politicians saidthey'retoo important to sportdevelopment in theNorthto drop any of theevents.