France and Salt Lake City emerge as strong contenders
According to IOC president Thomas Bach, the Olympic body aims to confirm hosts for both the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games at its meeting on the eve of next year’s Paris Olympics. Sweden, Switzerland and France have been working on possible bids for the 2030 edition and Salt Lake City officials have long targeted 2034. That would avoid the United States hosting back-to-back Olympics after the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.
France has expressed its interest in hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics in the Pyrenees mountains, which would be the first time since 1992 that the country hosts the winter event. The French bid is backed by the regional authorities and the national Olympic committee, and has the potential to create a lasting legacy for the area.
Salt Lake City, which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, has been preparing for a possible bid for the 2034 edition. The city has the advantage of having existing venues and infrastructure, as well as a strong public support and a proven track record of hosting major events. The city also has a partnership with the Utah Jazz NBA team, which could help with the promotion and sponsorship of the Games.
Climate change poses a serious threat to winter sports
One of the main reasons for the IOC’s decision to pick two Winter Olympic host cities at the same time is the alarming effect of climate change on winter sports. Bach noted that only 15 countries on three continents currently meet the criteria of having at least 80% of existing venues for snow sports and a “climate-reliable” outlook to host events in future decades.
“We need to address very quickly this dramatic impact of climate change on winter sport,” Bach said in Mumbai, India, where the IOC’s annual meeting is taking place. “By 2040, there remain practically just 10 NOCs who could host these snow events.”
The IOC has been working on several initiatives to mitigate the environmental impact of the Olympics, such as reducing the carbon footprint, promoting sustainability and renewable energy, and encouraging the reuse of existing venues. The IOC has also launched a program called Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which aims to make the Games more adaptable, flexible and resilient to the changing circumstances.
The next steps for the 2030 and 2034 Olympics
The next deadline for the 2030 and 2034 Olympics will come Nov. 28-Dec. 1 at a board meeting in Paris. A single preferred candidate for each is expected to be chosen and then would enter into exclusive negotiations with the IOC. That is the new process for selecting Olympic host cities and regions, avoiding the once-traditional campaigns and votes which were at risk of vote-buying schemes.
The IOC has already awarded the 2026 Winter Olympics to Milan-Cortina in Italy, which beat Stockholm-Are in Sweden in a vote in 2019. The 2022 Winter Olympics will take place in Beijing, China, which will become the first city to host both the summer and winter editions of the Games.
