Canton to contribute CHF 1 million to Swiss-wrestling and Alpine Festival

The canton has announced it is to make a CHF 1 million contribution to the National Swiss-Wrestling Tournament and Alpine Festival (Esaf), which is to take place in Zug next year. Furthermore, it is offering benefits in kind to the value of CHF 655,000.

It was not long ago that the greater city council of Zug confirmed it would be contributing CHF 900,000 towards the cost of the event, part of which is also made up of benefits in kind. Now the canton has followed suit by announcing this contribution from the Lottery Fund.

As Martin Pfister, a member of the cantonal government, said, the tournament will be the biggest sporting event to be held in Switzerland next year and a unique occasion. “What is more it will be an opportunity to show off the canton at its best to not only a national but international audience,” he added.

As to the benefits in kind amounting to CHF 655,000, these include traffic and security policing as well as support in the setting up of the required infrastructure by the Civil Defence Corps. It was also emphasised the canton’s household budget would not be affected in any way.

It was only natural that Heinz Tännler, the chairman of the organising committee of Esaf and the cantonal director of finance, was delighted at this news, not just with the amount of funding provided, but with the benefits in kind, too.

It should be pointed out that Tännler did not participate in the meeting of the cantonal government at which this decision was taken. “As chairman of the organising committee I was asked to submit a budget as well as inform the other members of the government how much had been spent by other cantons on the previous occasions this event had taken place, namely CHF 1.8 million from the canton of Fribourg for the event in Estavayer-le-Lac in 2016, and CHF 1.6 million from the canton of Bern for the event in Burgdorf in 2013. The contribution from the canton of Zug is at a similar level, therefore.”

It was also made known that, should there be any funding left over, this will not be handed over for the promotion of Swiss-wrestling, as has been the case in the past, but returned to the public purse.

Tännler also pointed out that the organisation had been able to secure 80% of a targeted amount from major sponsors. Now they are looking to secure sponsorship from smaller companies.  “We realise CHF 6,000 from a small or medium-sized company is no mean contribution,” he said, adding how the cost of the grandstand alone amounted to CHF 2 million.