WMA still battling stories of Lahti worlds price-gouging

Posted on the WMA website is this eye-opening note: “Despite its better judgment and conviction, WMA has decided to augment its recent announcement on accommodation availabilities for the 2009 Lahti Stadia championships. WMA cannot and will not defend individual price levels, as those are not set by WMA and customarily reflect market rates. However, WMA can confirm that the actual prices quoted by Lahti Travel are within the contracted ranges that were disclosed to the GA assembly which (and not Council) awarded the championships to Lahti.”


WMA continues:

Furthermore, neither WMA as an organization nor any of its Council members has or will benefit from accommodation bookings – directly or indirectly, and it is and has always been the aim of WMA to organize the best possible championships in all respects for the benefit of participating athletes.
A number of selected examples of arrangements made by athletes speak for themselves:
Booking through a well established German tour operator for athletes for the total duration of the championships at the priciest hotel in Lahti city amounts to less than EUR 140/day for a double room occupancy by two persons, including breakfast.
Booking through the official LOC travel bureau for the duration of the championships by a group of six in a well known downtown Lahti hotel costs approximately EUR 120/day for two people in a double room, including breakfast.
Booking by a group of four through private arrangements in advertised quarters within the Lahti region, about 15 km from Lahti city, for the total cost of less than EUR 70/day for two persons in a double room, including breakfast.

Hard to know where to start.
Is WMA at last taking costs into consideration at its world meets? This is novel, considering its history of looking the other way as WMA execs themselves scooped up prime properties for housing — and tours — before commercial groups got a shot.
Although the Finns have a rep for taking track seriously and putting on world-class meets, the whole package must include reasonable housing and travel rates. And now the Koops in Germany are pointing out the expense of travel to and from the Lahti venues.
They write (and this is a rough translation):

Completely ignored is that the free bus between accommodation and so far only stadium in the city of Lahti give. Athletes and visitors, before the city gates in Lahti, it must be self – Check for daily care. Who, for example, can stay in Helsinki and by train to Lahti goes to pay for the hourly services almost daily 30 euros (42 $ *) per person.
This raises the slightly cheaper room rates quickly on. A 10-day all-inclusive “special offer for the Finnish Railways Foreigners ( “Finnrailpass”) still adds up to 232 euros (324 $ *).
The Local organizers are negotiating with the railway company over a World Cup Special offer. For more information, there is not.
BTW: Even very small, 28 Cars July to 9 August cost after our research unacceptable 500 euros (700 $ *). Traveling with one’s own Cars from Central Europe, given the Fährkosten of 1000 euro is not real alternative to air travel.
Particularly strong are the high prices the way, the athletes and their Crew from the United Kingdom affected, after the British pound significantly in value and now has lost nearly a pound of around one euro corresponds. (* Conversion rate, 1 euro = 1.40 $; 24.12.08)

Print Friendly

December 30, 2008

One Response

  1. Tommy Aunan - December 30, 2008

    I have two events one aug 3 and one aug 6, racewalks..will stay at the cheap hostels in helsinki and take train back and forth those days. skipped the 5K racewalk so I have to stay as short as possible. lets go back to the cheap eats and treats of italy again next time this is held in europe

Leave a Reply