Games and Rings
  • A Blog for Olympic Sports Fans

Who Will Host The 2030 Winter Olympics?

3/16/2021

 

2032's Summer Games Appear Set, But No Word on 2030's Winter Games Yet

At the International Olympic Committee's virtual IOC Session last week, the IOC supported the Future Host Commission's recommendations for a 'new approach' in awarding Olympic Games to a targeted host site. Particularly eyeing the 2032 Games, the IOC has now confirmed 'continuous' and 'targeted' dialogue with Brisbane and the southeast Queensland region in Australia for their candidacy.
Picture
Brisbane is most likely the 2032 Summer Games host (via IOC)
This is certainly reinforcing a new way to award the Games site. Previously, Games were awarded to a candidate after reviewing and narrowing multiple bids, with a winner announced seven years before the respective Games. Traditionally, this bid process spurred exorbitant spending, and frequent malfeasance speculation, in frequent 'losing' bids. That meant bids became increasingly unpopular, with public scrutiny against spending and often causing would-be-competent bids to fizzle.

​When Budapest dropped out of the running for the 2024 Summer Games, it left only Paris and Los Angeles as candidates. Faced with two logical hosts, and looking to avoid a messy 2028 bid season, the IOC awarded 2024 to Paris and 2028 to Los Angeles, setting up today's 'targeted dialogue' with a single preferred future host.

While some struggle to adjust to the new world, from journalists to other would-be bids, there is some logic to a revamped awarding. In addition to the opportunity to pre-select a very capable host, the new approach also helps avoid a repeat of the 2022 Winter Games bid season, in which the IOC found itself caught between a choice of either Almaty or Beijing, neither of which ideal. Beijing was the obvious choice for getting a Games held, but predictably has still caused the IOC headaches. 

There was luckily no such public rancor in the race for the 2026 Winter Games, awarded to Milano-Cortina over Stockholm-Are in what is likely to be the last host selection under the old multi-bid candidature system.
Picture
Milano-Cortina 2026 is likely the last winning host from the old bid system
Lost in the announcement from the IOC session was, to me, the glaring omission of a reference to the 2030 Olympics. These Winter Games obviously fall ahead of Brisbane 2032, but no mention was made of any 'targeted dialogue' with any site. Perhaps talks are happening already, but a 'preferred' candidate has yet to be identified? In any case, it's a bit curious why at least the 2030 process has not been outlined.

In any case, let's look at who might end up with the Games...

Sapporo
Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Games, and would thus join the ranks of double-hosts - St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Lake Placid, and Cortina d'Ampezzo (after 2026) are the others.

​Aside from a proven ability to host a Games, Sapporo may actually benefit from Tokyo 2020, despite the IOC generally wanting to avoid going back to the same region -let alone nation - so soon. A well-received 2020 Olympics may help solidify public support for Japan's hosting, and there may be some will to reward Japan in some measure as compensation or reward for managing a Games despite the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Picture
Sapporo hosted the Winter Games in 1972
Pyrennes-Barcelona
An intriguing three-nation bid from Spain, Andorra, and France would make Barcelona the second city to host a Games in both the summer and winter (Beijing will be the first in 2022 after its 2008 Summer Games). Who wouldn't get a kick out of an Olympic world stage in the tiny nation of Andorra? Its world-class ski resorts would certainly get a lift!

But this unique candidate may have shot itself in the foot with a pause in planning last fall, awaiting clarity from pandemic conditions and subsequent public support.

Salt Lake City
Does the IOC remember the 2002 Olympic Bid Scandal?? Six IOC members were expunged for bribery charges. Yet here we are with Salt Lake City coming back again, hat-in-hand, looking for another Games opportunity.

​Granted, the 2002 Games are looked back on favorably - aside from the little bribery - and you can count on the United States to produce a commercially successful event. Though, attention may be shifting to 2034 in deference to Sapporo's bid.

Vancouver
A newcomer to the conversation is the host of the 2010 Games. Those Olympics were a beaming success, despite an unusual concern for snow levels.

The positive recent memories of 2010 may have made Vancouver the leading candidate, had they not gotten a late start in consideration.
Picture
In 2010, Vancouver was the largest city to host a Winter Games
Lviv
The Ukrainian city withdrew its bid for the 2002 Games, but has recently expressed an interest in 2030. Bringing an Olympics here would be a return to Eastern Europe after Sarajevo 1984 and Sochi 2014. 

The political unrest that derailed 2022's efforts may be too fresh in the IOC's minds, and there would likely need to be more infrastructure built than in other bids. But as track & field legend, and Ukrainian National Olympic Committee president, Sergey Bubka says, "Those who do not dream, do not win."
..........
So, who will the 2030 host be? It's unclear when a candidate will be designated as preferred, assuming that's the IOC's plan. If so, my guess is Sapporo for 2030 and perhaps Salt Lake City for 2034. But Vancouver is a wild card with its late entry. Should its candidacy remain serious, its 2010 success may very well trump the others.

Which candidate do you think will be the 2030 host?

Comments are closed.
    Above: Athens' Kallimarmaro, the site of the 1896 Summer Olympics


    About This Blog

    An Olympics fan blog celebrating all things Olympic sport athletes

    Picture
    Read about me.

    Navigate It

    Celebrating Olympic sport athletes with news links, social media peeks, and more, seen through the cheeky lens of this particular, passionate fan.

    ​Check out:
     A Little Roundup
    Get caught up on the athletes of Olympic sports with a collection of links to recent news and feature stories

    Let's Get Social
    Taking a look at what some of your favorite Olympic sport athletes are up to on social media away from competition.

    They are the Champions
    Congratulations to the world champions of Olympic sports!

    Athletes Worth Watching
    Who are some emerging Olympic sport athletes worth keeping an eye on for the future?

    ​Ramblings and Things
    ​
    I have my own comment and opinions sometimes!

    A Quick Review
    Quick thoughts on Olympic sports-related films, art, books, TV, etc. that I've come across .
    p.s. see my Bookshop!

    Picture
    Me at Rio 2016's Barra Olympic Park


    Follow Me

    Twitter
    Instagram
    ​
    Spotify
    Medium
    ​
    Bookshop
    Post.
    Mastodon
    Tumblr

    Favorite Sites

    The IOC
    The Olympic Museum
    Olympic World Library
    ​Intl Olympic Academy
    ​Team USA
    World Athletics
    ​Athletics Integrity Unit
    WADA
    Court of Arbitration
    Around the Rings
    Inside the Games
    GamesBids.com
    The Sports Examiner
    ​AP Olympics
    ​AP Winter Olympics
    NBC Olympic Talk
    NY Times ​Olympics
    USA TODAY Olympics
    Wiki Summer Olympics
    Wiki Winter Olympics
    ​Athlete365
    ​
    Global Athlete
    ​Olympic Historians
    World Olympians Assoc.
    ​Games Architecture​
    Art of the Olympians
    Olympic.org Results
    ​Olympedia
    ​Olympstats
    ​
    Olympian Database
    ​On This Day in Sports
    ​Coubertin Speaks
    ​Olympic City Project
    ​
    Keep the Flame Alive
    Off The Podium
    The Games Odyssey
    ​Totallympics
    ​Qualifying to the Games
    ​Lost Olympians
    ​
    Olympians 1964 to 2020
    All Sports Books Reviews
    Outsports
    ​
    Queerstory Files
    ​Paris 2024
    ​Milan Cortina 2026
    Los Angeles 2028


    Categories

    All
    A Little Roundup
    Alpine Skiing
    Amsterdam 1928
    Ancient Olympics
    Aquatics
    Archery
    Artistic Swimming
    Athens 1896
    Athens 2004
    Athlete Spotlight
    Athlete Worth Watching
    Atlanta 1996
    Badminton
    Baseball
    Basketball
    Basketball 3x3
    Beach Volleyball
    Beijing 2008
    Beijing 2022
    Berlin 1936
    Biathlon
    Bobsled
    Boxing
    Breaking
    Canoe/Kayak
    Cross Country Skiing
    Curling
    Cycling
    Cycling BMX
    Cycling Mountain Bike
    Cycling Road
    Cycling Track
    Demonstration Sports
    Diving
    Equestrian
    Fencing
    Field Hockey
    Figure Skating
    Freestyle Skiing
    Golf
    Gymnastics
    Handball
    Helsinki 1952
    Ice Hockey
    Innsbruck 1976
    IOC
    Judo
    Karate
    Let's Get Social
    London 1908
    London 1948
    London 2012
    Los Angeles 1932
    Los Angeles 1984
    Los Angeles 2028
    Luge
    Melbourne 1956
    Mexico City 1968
    Milano Cortina 2026
    Modern Pentathlon
    Montreal 1976
    Moscow 1980
    Munich 1972
    Non-Olympic Sports
    Nordic Combined
    Olympics
    Olympic Sports Media
    On This Date
    Other
    Paralympics
    Paris 2024
    Pyeongchang 2018
    Rhythmic Gymnastics
    Rio 2016
    Rome 1960
    Rowing
    Rugby Sevens
    Sailing
    Salt Lake City 2002
    Sarajevo 1984
    Seoul 1988
    Shooting
    Short Track Speedskating
    Skateboarding
    Skeleton
    Ski Jumping
    Ski Mountaineering
    Snowboarding
    Soccer (football)
    Sochi 2014
    Softball
    Speed Skating
    Sport Climbing
    Squash
    Stockholm 1912
    Summer Olympics
    Surfing
    Swimming
    Sydney 2000
    Table Tennis
    Taekwondo
    Tennis
    They Are The Champions
    Tokyo 1964
    Tokyo 2020
    Track And Field
    Trampolining
    Triathlon
    Volleyball
    WADA
    Water Polo
    Weightlifting
    Winter Olympics
    Wrestling


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014


    To opt-out of cookies, and to read this site's privacy policy, read the Policy page.

    The following link is listed for Mastodon site verification purposes only:
    Mastodon

    RSS Feed


Proudly powered by Weebly