IOC President Thomas Bach said Friday the group plans to announce the host cities for the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics right before the start of the Paris Summer Games.
Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games President and CEO Fraser Bullock said that decision is a boost for a future games in Utah. He added it provides a more succinct timeline.
Bach also addressed the looming impact of climate change on the Winter Games. He said come 2040, they expect just 10 National Olympic Committees will be able to host snow events.
“This is one of the reasons, if not the main reason, why the future host commission is proposing to get the opportunity to propose a double allocation of two successive Olympic Winter Games for 2030 and 2034, if all conditions are met,” Bach said during a press conference. “In order to gain this more time to address the dramatic impact of climate change.”
The IOC has previously discussed having a set rotation of hosts that could host a Winter Games over several decades.
Salt Lake City has long said it prefers the 2034 date, with the Summer Games set in Los Angeles in 2028. But the Utah committee has also said it can host in 2030 if it’s called upon.
Sapporo, Japan, officially dropped its bid for the 2030 Games this week amidst corruption allegations.
Sweden, Switzerland, and France are all considering hosting in 2030.
Next up is an IOC board meeting in late November, where one candidate each will be chosen for the 2030 and 2034 Olympics. The chosen hosts will then be able to enter into exclusive planning negotiations with the IOC, a process called “targeted dialogue.”
