International Olympic Committee makes Winter Olympic host recommendations

France and the United States have been recommended to host the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics by the International Olympic Committee’s executive board.

However, a vote will not be held to approve the bids until the Olympic committee meets in Paris on July 24, however there is reportedly some uncertainty over the French bid because of the country’s political situation.

The proposed host cities are the French Alps (Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur) in 2030 and Salt Late City, Utah for the 2034 edition.

“The future host commission is confident that these two preferred hosts represent a great opportunity for successful and sustainable Olympic Winter Games,” Karl Stoss, who heads the IOC’s future host commission, said, reported by the BBC.

French president Emmanuel Macron called a snap election on Sunday, with the two rounds of voting set to conclude on July 7.

Salt Lake City was originally interested in being the host of the 2030 games, but revised its plan, as the United States is already the host of the summer games in 2028, and that would leave just two years between them.

Should the Utah city be awarded the Games, it will be the fifth occasion the Winter Olympics will be held in the country, and the second time in the city. Salt Lake City last held the games in 2002.

The 2022 Games were held in Beijing, China, when the city became the first ever to host both the summer and winter games, however it was a controversial affair.

Artificial snow was used throughout the Games, since there is a lack of annual snowfall in the areas, despite cold temperatures. Those who travelled were also subject to Covid-19 protocols, and there was limited travel and bubbles that were also a feature of the delayed 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.