It’s official, the French Alps are set to host the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2030 and Salt Lake City in 2034, as announced at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris tonight.
“President Macron and all stakeholders in French Alps 2030 have today reiterated their full commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2030. We have full confidence in France to organise an outstanding edition of the Olympic Winter Games, with the same creativity, imagination and flair we are currently experiencing at Paris 2024, said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“I reaffirm to you here this morning the full commitment of the French State to organising these Games. Paris 2024 will be a success, and the same will be true for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2030,” said French President Macron.
“You can trust us – we will be there, and we are proud to support this candidature for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2030.”
The finalisation of the Games Delivery Guarantee remains open for constitutional reasons in France, following the national election. While French Alps 2030 submitted a signed copy of the Olympic Host Contract prior to the IOC Session, the IOC will not counter sign it until the Games Delivery Guarantee is received, at the latest by 1 October 2024, and ratified by the French Parliament no later than 1 March 2025.
The IOC tonight also elected Salt Lake City as Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games host for 2034.
“Salt Lake City and Utah are long-time friends of the Olympic Movement, and we are confident that they will organise exceptional Olympic and Paralympic Games, just as they did years ago. The legacy of 2002 is tangibly and passionately alive in Utah. The legacy of 2034 starts today,” said Thomas Bach.
The Games will be hosted in world class, 100 per cent existing or temporary venues, and will assist efforts to drive sustainable change in Utah.
Though serious concerns were expressed about recent developments in the United States around the challenge to the supreme authority of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which could have negative implications for international sports events held in the USA.
In their presentations, Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 and the USOPC confirmed that they are fully committed to compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, and that their dedication to clean sport and to the coordinated international anti-doping effort led by WADA is absolute.
There were 83 ‘yes’ votes for Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 by IOC Members, 6 ‘no’ votes and 6 abstentions, out of 89 valid votes.