It is still unclear where the 2030 and 2034 Olympic Games will take place. The IOC had major problems finding a venue. Now there are four applicants and a decision is approaching.
It is still unclear where the 2030 and 2034 Olympic Games will take place. The IOC had major problems finding a venue. Now there are four applicants and a decision is approaching. Even Thomas Bach paints his Olympic woes in dark colors. The President of the International Olympic Committee sees the future of the Winter Games as being very worrying, even dramatic, due to the influence of climate change.
The rapidly dwindling number of organizers with guaranteed snow, the rejection of citizens in potential applicant countries and the strict no from politicians have made the IOC’s search for hosts for upcoming winter editions considerably more difficult. On Wednesday (November 29th, 2023), the IOC leadership could make a belated preliminary decision on the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games.
Four applicants are in the race
According to reports, four candidates will be in the running for the three-day meeting of the Executive Committee in Paris. After the cancellations of previous favorites such as Sapporo and Vancouver, Olympic projects from France, Sweden and Switzerland are probably fighting Salt Lake City in the USA. The 2002 host Salt Lake is almost set for 2034, so the other interested parties will probably have to hope for 2030.
Salt Lake City last hosted the Winter Games in 2002.
The question now is: Which of them will make it into the so-called targeted dialogue with the IOC selection committee and thus become the preferred candidate of the ring circle? In the new application process, which is perceived to be more opaque than previous award processes, this vote has almost made the decision about the games host.
Winter Games 2030: Delay after cancellations
The selection process for the 2030 Winter Games should have been completed long ago. But then there was a hail of rejections for the IOC. Canada’s metropolis Vancouver received no guarantees for government funds. Sapporo, Japan, decided not to make an attempt because of the turbulence surrounding the corruption scandal surrounding the Summer Games in Tokyo. After the failed bids for 2018 and 2022, Munich has lost its desire for the Winter Games. The city only wants to apply for the summer games.
The city of Munich only wants to apply for the summer games
Switzerland – Green light from the sports parliament
In the emergency, the IOC postponed the awarding of the winter edition after next for a year and probably encouraged some doubtful candidates to give it a try. The last thing the Swiss sports parliament gave the green light for an application was just the week before. “Winter Games in Switzerland would be a huge booster for our country”said Sports Minister Viola Amherd.
In fact, the decentralized concept includes several regions across the country in order to exclusively use existing competition venues. Since there is no suitable speed skating hall, Inzell in Bavaria could come into play here. Lausanne is being discussed for the opening ceremony and Bern for the closing ceremony.
Winter Games in Switzerland would be a huge booster for our country.
Sweden and France with a similar concept
Stockholm and the French bid take a similar approach. In Sweden, in addition to the capital, Falun, Are and Östersund would also host competitions. The sledding events would go to Sigulda in Latvia, speed skating to Norway. “This will be a completely different kind of Olympics”said Sweden’s Sports Minister Jakob Forssmed.
France is entering the race with a group of former winter hosts Chamonix (1924), Grenoble (1968) and Albertville (1992) as well as Nice. Here too, it is possible to go abroad for the speed skating competitions.
German biathlete Anje Misersky in action at the Winter Olympics in Albertville in 1992.
More sustainability
Thanks to these sustainable concepts, a majority of citizens who have recently been critical of the IOC would also be won over to the billion-dollar spectacle of the Winter Games, argue those interested. However, there have not yet been any referendums on the current plans in Sweden, France or Switzerland.
The IOC cannot wait much longer on the award issue. At the general meeting in Mumbai in October, the umbrella association decided to name the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 games next year in one fell swoop. The IOC also wants to give itself peace of mind in order to regulate the long-term future of the Winter Games. “This is a very complex issue and to address it in the right way we need a little more time” said IOC boss Bach.
Study: By 2040, only ten countries will be guaranteed snow
According to researchers’ calculations, from 2040 onwards only ten countries will still have enough snow and ice for the Winter Olympics. “We need to address this dramatic impact of climate change on the Winter Games very quickly”said Bach.
Both a change in the competition program and a rotation system among the organizers are being considered. Winter Games could then only take place alternately in a few places with existing competition venues and guaranteed frosty weather.