An official from the International Olympic Committee said Friday the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang will not be split with another city, putting an end to speculation that the South Korean host would be asked to cohost the event in a cost-saving step.

According to the PyeongChang organizing committee, Gunilla Lindberg, head of the IOC’s Coordination Commission on PyeongChang, declared that all scheduled events will be staged in South Korea as originally planned.

The IOC last month passed a reform package dubbed “Olympic Agenda 2020,” which included an option granted to the host city to stage some competitions in different countries to save costs.

PyeongChang has since had to fend off reports that it was being asked to halt construction of a new sliding venue and move bobsleigh and luge competitions to another country.

Lindberg, in PyeongChang this week for the IOC’s Project Review on PyeongChang’s preparation, said the South Korean host will have the Olympics to itself.

“The approval of the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations by the IOC created the opportunity for the Korean organizers to propose hosting sports or disciplines outside of the host city in order to maximize legacies and minimize costs where feasible,” Lindberg was quoted as saying.

“Since then, both (the organizing committee) and its government partners have made it clear that they will maintain their current venue plan. As a result, the venue masterplan is now finalized.” (Yonhap)