French Alps, Salt Lake City sole candidates for 2030, 2034 Winter Games: IOC

PARIS – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Nov 29 confirmed the French Alps and Salt Lake City as the sole candidates to host the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games respectively.

Karl Stoss, head of the IOC’s future host commission, said that Olympic chiefs would now move into “targeted dialogue” with the two candidates.

The bid leaders will flesh out plans and state support, with the Olympic governing body to formally decide on the 2030 and 2034 hosts at its session in July 2024.

“The IOC will now start more detailed discussions with the preferred hosts, led by their national Olympic committees, with the aim of awarding both editions at the 142nd IOC session in July in Paris,” the IOC said.

“They (cities) have now to do their homework. The decision is not made yet. The work is not finished. But we have another six months to come to a decision.”

The French bid moved forward at the expense of the two other candidates, Sweden and Switzerland.

Only Salt Lake City in Utah in the United States has launched a bid to host the 2034 Games.

France, which welcomes the Summer Olympics in 2024, has hosted the Winter Games three times – Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968 and Albertville in 1992.

Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 edition.

The bid for the 2030 Games is based around Meribel, Courchevel and Val d’Isere for alpine skiing while La Clusaz would host Nordic events. The Olympic Village would be in Nice, which would host skating events.

“Innovative, sustainable and inclusive Games which will make France and its mountains shine. What pride!” France President Emmanuel Macron said on social media platform X.

David Lappartient, head of the French national Olympic committee, added: “What gives us pleasure is to not only be in a targeted dialogue, but that we are there alone.

“This is not the end of an adventure, it is the beginning of a new one. What we have achieved as a step today is a huge step. It’s a huge step forward for French sport and a form of legacy already from Paris 2024.”

The French bid, which involves the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur regions, scored points for its plan to hold the Games in four separate clusters as well as for its strong support from the public and private sector, the IOC said.

Stoss added that “what really stood out about the French Alps and Salt Lake City-Utah projects was their vision for the athlete experience, their alignment with regional and national socio-economic development plans, and their very strong support from the public and from all levels of government”.

“The commission felt strongly that the other interested parties would benefit from more time to optimise the athlete experience of their future Games, and to continue to build on their burgeoning foundations of public and political support,” he said.

The IOC also offered an olive branch to Switzerland, with Stoss saying that the Swiss would now enter “privileged dialogue” for a bid for the 2038 Games.

“The IOC executive board decided to grant the non-edition-specific project, Switzerland 203x, a special status by inviting it into privileged dialogue for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2038,” the IOC added.

While praising Switzerland’s many existing venues and great experience in hosting international winter sport events, Stoss said there also needed to be a proper Olympic Village, adding: “They have to do their homework first. They have to show us a more convincing venue plan.”

In a boost for the Swiss, the IOC said it would not engage in discussions with other potential hosts for the 2038 Winter Games during the privileged dialogue which will last to the end of 2027. AFP, REUTERS