France to host 2030 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City 2034
July 24, 2024
The French Alps was provisionally chosen to host the 2030 Winter Olympics on Wednesday.
The decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is contingent on French President Emmanuel Macron signing a document to guarantee funding and security commitments no later than October 1.
"I confirm the full commitment of the French nation, and assure you that I will ask the next prime minister to include not only this guarantee but also an Olympic Law in the priorities of the new government," Macron said at the IOC session on Wednesday.
"Seven years ago, we made the same commitment [for the Paris 2024 Summer Games], and we delivered. We will do the same."
The decision was announced two days before the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Later, at the same session, Salt Lake City, in the US state of Utah, was selected to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.
What happened at the IOC session?
The French Alps were awarded the Winter Olympics with 84 out of 88 votes.
The IOC said it had received assurances about finances and security from two of the regions involved in the bid: Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur.
However, the body said it would not sign the host city contract until those guarantees were delivered.
The 2030 Winter Olympics would be the fourth time France has hosted the Winter Games, after Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968 and Albertville in 1992.
After corruption scandals and a drop in interest from potential hosts, the IOC no longer visits various candidates and instead selects a preferred bid that is then put to a vote. Wednesday's ballot formally confirmed that choice.
Olympics to return to Utah
Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, receiving 83 out of 89 votes in the IOC session.
The US city, which hosted the 2002 Winter Games, was the only candidate considered by the Olympic Committee for 2034.
"To the people celebrating back home: We are back baby, the Olympics are coming back to Utah," said Utah Governor Spencer Cox, who was part of the presentation team at the IOC session in Paris, along with Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn.
Salt Lake City had originally planned to bid on the 2030 Games, which were awarded to France. However, the city dropped those plans because the date was too close to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
zc,dh/sms (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)