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The Arctic Winter Games are now less than two months away.
Excitement among athletes and organizers is growing. But so too are tensions in the circumpolar world, with U.S. president Donald Trump openly musing about a takeover of Greenland.
Trump has even threatened to use military force to seize control Greenland.
The threats come as Whitehorse prepares to host the 2026 Arctic Winter Games in March. The multi-sport gathering will feature athletes from across the circumpolar region including Alaska and upwards of 200 athletes from Greenland.
“We’re not going to cancel the games,” said John Rodda, President of the Arctic Winter Games International Committee. “I mean there’s all this chatter going on. If something about the chatter changes and there’s more seriousness we’ll just have to deal with it.”
Rodda, who is American, has been involved with the Games since 1974.
“I have a daughter in-law who is actually Danish and she provides me with her thoughts,” said Rodda. “I have lots of friends around the circumpolar world and at this point our focus is on the games.”
It’s not the first time international politics has cast a shadow on the Games. The Russian delegation was suspended in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine.
We’re not going to cancel the games– John Rodda, President Arctic Winter Games International Committee
In a statement at the time the AWG international committee said the suspension of the Russian team was part of an “ongoing commitment to youth safety, legal compliance, and the integrity of the Games.”
That Russian suspension remains in place.
But planning for the upcoming Whitehorse Games continue as planned.
Claus Nielson, president of the Sports Confederation of Greenland, said in a statement his country’s athletes have no intention of missing the games.
“We have no concerns about sending Greenlandic athletes and coaches to the Arctic Winter Games 2026,” said Nielson. “We have no intention of withdrawing from participation.”
The Arctic Winter Games begin March 8. It will be the fifth time Whitehorse has hosted the event.
The city was slated to host the 2020 event but those games were cancelled just days before the opening ceremony because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
