VANCOUVER—Any attempt to relocate the 2014 Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia, to Vancouver would run into a blizzard of logistical and financial challenges, say people involved with organizing the successful 2010 Games.

There would be a scramble to staff an organizing committee and money would be needed so the existing venues could host international sports events again. Thousands of volunteers would have to be recruited and housing found for athletes, media and spectators. Plans for transportation, security, ticketing and broadcasting the Games to the world would have to be developed.

“The logistics and the size and scope of something like that, it would be absolutely, almost laughingly implausible to turn the key and do something like that,” Peter Judge, the long-time head of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, said Thursday.

A petition on Change.org is asking the International Olympic Committee to move the Winter Games from Sochi to Vancouver to protest Russia’s anti-gay laws. The petition, which has attracted support from celebrities like actor George Takei, of the Star Trek television series, and Stephen Fry, a British actor and writer, has been signed by over 75,000 people.

“We’d like too see the IOC move the games to Vancouver who held them (very successfully) in 2010,” says the petition from Equality For All. “The venues are there already so getting them up and running again wouldn’t be too much of a hassle and could be done in the limited time allowed.”

The Sochi Games are scheduled to open Feb. 7.

Chris Rudge, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee during the Vancouver Olympics, questioned who would pay the bill for moving the Games to Canada. The Vancouver Olympics had an operating cost of $1.84 billion.

“I can’t be convinced there is anybody that would,” said Rudge, who is now CEO of the CFL Toronto Argonauts. “I don’t think it would be wise for the federal or provincial governments to step up. There is no return for them.”

Plans for security and the Games overlay would also have to be developed.

“Getting that done at this late stage is virtually impossible,” said Rudge.

Many of the venues used during the 2010 Games have undergone changes. The Richmond Olympic Oval is now a multi-sport recreation centre but could be converted back to hosting long-track speed skating.

“It would be costly and take a significant amount of time,” said Ted Townsend, a spokesman for the city of Richmond.

The Olympic curling venue is now a facility that houses a community centre, ice rink, aquatic centre, preschool, library and curling rink.

Rogers Arena, where Canada won gold in men’s and women’s hockey, is home to the NHL Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks endured an NHL-record 14-game road trip to accommodate the Olympics.

The Pacific Coliseum still has the capacity to host short-track speed skating and figure skating. The WHL Vancouver Giants are the building’s main tenant.

“There would be a number of things that would need to be addressed to move in a significant event like the Olympics,” said spokesman Laura Ballance.

The Whistler Sliding Centre has hosted international luge, bobsled and skeleton competitions since the Games. There has been no World Cup cross-country ski, biathlon or ski jumping events at the Nordic centre in the Callaghan Valley.

“Our venues are still capable of holding world-class events, but we are just venue operators,” Roger Soane, CEO of Whistler Sport Legacies, said in an email. “Another (organizing committee) would have to be formed to execute the Games, engaging all levels of government (and) corporate partners.”

The alpine ski events were held on Whistler Mountain. After the Games the safety netting, timing installations and TV camera positions were removed.

“The actual competition runs that were used for the Games no longer have the infrastructure in place,” said former Olympic skier Ken Read, a member of the International Ski Federation alpine committee.

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Dave Cobb, the former deputy CEO of the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee, said over 50,000 people, including staff, volunteers, suppliers, sponsors and broadcasters were required to make the 2010 Games a success.

“The Olympics isn’t just any old sporting event,” said Cobb. “It’s all about the entirety of the experience and what it does to a city and the atmosphere that is created.

“That’s what really makes the Olympic Games. That would be impossible to recreate without the years of preparing that is typically available for an organizing committee. To create what we did back in 2010, there is a reason you have seven years to do that.”

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