Releasing the 2008 World Junior Weightlifting Championships was not an easy decision to make, but one the Whitehorse host society felt was necessary, says the society's chief executive officer.

Tamara Goeppel said Wednesday that when the society and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) began finalizing the society contract at the beginning of the month, a couple of items raised red flags.

But the thought of not proceeding with the event for Whitehorse never entered her mind until the very last minute, Goeppel told the Star.

The society, she emphasized, was ready. It was doing what needed to be done to host 500 athletes and 200 coaches and technical staff from around the world for the championships next June.

The local organizing committee of 12 was prepared.

Whitehorse was ready, she said.

'At every bridge crossing, around every corner, it was validated how ready Whitehorse was for holding these championships.'

Some $700,000 in government and private sector commitments had been raised.

The $233,000 contribution from the territorial government was already sitting in the bank, and the $113,000 in instalment payments from Ottawa had been agreed to.

Goeppel said local organizers had already absorbed a change of dates announced during the past summer as a result of schedule changes by the International Olympic Committee and the IWF.

The change in dates required a re-calculation of budgets because of the difference in rates for hotel rooms from the first week of May to prime time in mid-June, she explained.

But it was done, and Goeppel said the organizing committee was still able luckily to secure the number of rooms required.

Whitehorse was awarded the 2008 games during the 2005 junior championships in Pusan, South Korea, from a list of three contenders.

Among the conditions in the bids was a requirement to submit a daily fee for each of the participants.

The 2005 Whitehorse bid set a fee of $140 per day, Goeppel explained.

When it came time to finalizing the host society agreement this month, with an unexpected deadline of Oct. 15 to sign off, it became apparent the deal was not a slam dunk, she explained.

Goeppel said while the host society was putting forward a higher daily fee of $160 because of the increase in room costs, the IWF was actually looking for a decrease in the fee to $100 per day for each participant.

It would have meant a good deal more fundraising by the host society, though the IWF's request for a reduced fee was not seen as insurmountable, said Goeppel.

But then the IWF had also built in an unexpected 30-day withdrawal clause, giving the international body the ability to withdraw the event up until 30 days prior to the June 11 opening of the championships.

With a twist here and a twist there, particularly the 30-day withdrawal clause, the board of directors decided on Oct. 15 that it could not expose Whitehorse and the host society to a level of uncertainty, Goeppel said.

'Although the additional costs could not have been insurmountable, the host society felt it could not accept, in good faith, the considerable changes implied by the IWF so late in the planning process,' reads a press release issued by the society Wednesday.

'To withdraw at this point would also ensure that all public funds are returned in full to corresponding government departments by the host society, thereby avoiding any fiscal shortfall.'

Goeppel emphasized the decision by the host society should not discourage any other organizations from attempting to bring international events to Whitehorse.

There is absolutely no doubt, she repeated, that Whitehorse is capable of hosting large international events.

It demonstrated as much last February and March during the Canada Winter Games, and was moving ahead smoothly with the organization of the weightlifting championships, she said.

Goeppel said the importance and profile of the Junior World Weightlifting Championships were reflected in the board of directors appointed to oversee the 2008 event in Whitehorse.

The board, for instance, included Paul Barrett, the president of the Canadian Weightlifting Federation, as well as Salvatore Coffa, vice-president of the International Weightlifting Association and president of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.

Also on the board was Charmaine Crooks, a five-time Canadian Olympian.

The local board of governors included half a dozen prominent businessmen, including Piers McDonald, the former president of the Canada Winter Games host society.

Goeppel said the board of directors and the host society were expecting and prepared to handle the unexpected in organizational hurdles, like fundraising challenges and so forth.

It was not expecting to face a decision to have Whitehorse release the event, she said.

Goeppel said approximately $50,000 has gone into organizing the event so far.

The funding was provided by Yukon Travel and Main-Steele Development as bridge financing until the host society was able to repay the loan.

The IWF has not announced a new location for the 2008 junior championships.