COLORADO SPRINGS (Colorado) - THE United States will not bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, concentrating full efforts upon Chicago's 2016 Summer Olympic bid, US Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said.

Seibel told the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph that the Americans will not join what is expected to be a crowded field to follow next year's Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Games set for Sochi, Russia.

'There won't be a 2018 bid,' Mr Seibel told the newspaper. 'Our sole focus is on 2016 and doing everything we can to support Chicago. We have given absolutely zero consideration to any other bids.'

The International Olympic Committee deadline for 2018 applications is mid-October while IOC members will vote October 2 on the 2016 host between Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

Denver, Salt Lake City and Reno had expressed interest in making a 2018 bid. US cities have hosted the Winter Olympics five times, most recently in Salt Lake City in 2002.

In 1972, Colorado state residents voted not to stage the 1976 Winter Olympics over financial worries even after Denver had been awarded the Games.

IOC executives will come to Denver in March for a board meeting. -- AFP