LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Salt Lake City is on track to secure the hosting rights for the 2034 Winter Olympics, while the French Alps bid for the 2030 edition faces a potential delay due to the upcoming French parliamentary elections called by President Emmanuel Macron.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has scheduled a voting session on July 24 in Paris to confirm both the 2030 and 2034 Winter Games hosts. However, Macron's announcement of national elections on June 30 and July 7 has caused a pause in the process, as the necessary paperwork is yet to be finalized.
The IOC's executive board meeting, which began on Wednesday, was intended to move forward with the selection of the host cities for 2030 and 2034. The French bid, which combines the French Alps region and the resort town of Nice, is expected to win the 2030 bid.
The tight timeline for the 2030 Winter Olympics, with the opening ceremony scheduled for February 2030 in the south of France, presents a significant challenge for the organizers. The financial and organizational guarantees required from various levels of government must be secured within the next two weeks.
The IOC remains confident that the necessary guarantees will be provided before the annual meeting in Paris, where the final decision on the host cities is expected to be made. Both the Salt Lake City bid for 2034 and the French Alps bid for 2030 have been in exclusive talks with the IOC since November, eliminating competition from other potential host cities.
Salt Lake City previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002, while France has hosted three Winter Olympics in the past at Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968, and Albertville in 1992.
For more information on the Paris Olympics, visit AP Paris Olympics.
