The Olympic
National Committee formally announced that Salt Lake City has been selected
as the 2034 Winter Olympic Games site, according to an NBC news report.
Utah’s capital city was the only candidate after the
International Olympic Committee gave Salt Lake City exclusive negotiating
rights in 2023, on a fast-track for 2034.
The Olympic Games bid was presented on-stage
in Paris by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall
and Alpine ski legend Lindsey Vonn.
Before the final approval vote of 83-6, however, Cox agreed
to pledges demanded by IOC leaders in a contract that included a clause that local
officials must work with current and future U.S. presidents and members of
Congress “to alleviate your concerns” about the federal investigations into
doping. Cox added, “We will work with our members of Congress and use all the
levels of power open to us to resolve these concerns.”
IOC President Thomas Bach is angry that the FBI is
investigating the World Anti-Doping Agency's decision to accept China's
explanations for positive drug tests of 23 swimmers before the Tokyo Olympics.
The unprecedented move by the IOC appeared to send a message that the FBI
should back away from the Chinese swimmers' case which can be investigated in
the U.S. under federal legislation named for a whistleblower of Russian state
doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
As a result, the IOC received promises from U.S. Olympic
officials and the Utah contingent to accept a new clause that allows the
Olympic body to terminate Salt Lake City’s deal if the authority of WADA was
undermined.
Salt Lake City last hosted the event in 2002 and this time
will have almost 10 full years to prepare — the longest lead-in for a modern
Winter Games amid longer-term concerns about climate change affecting snow
sports and reducing the pool of potential hosts.
Salt Lake City opted to target 2034 to avoid potential
commercial and logistical clashes with the 2028 Summer Games being hosted by
Los Angeles.
Earlier in Paris, the 2030 Winter Olympic Games was awarded
(with conditions), to France, to be split between its ski resorts in the Alps
and the French Riviera city Nice.
That project is awaiting signoff from the national
government, and the Prime Minister yet to be confirmed, after recent elections
called by President Emmanuel Macron who also helped present the 2030 bid to IOC
members.
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