MUMBAI, October 13, 2023 – The IOC’s Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games on Friday proposed a double allocation for 2030 and 2034 due to concerns over the threat of climate change and this was approved by the Executive Board. IOC president Thomas Bach said the plan is to pick the hosts for both editions of the Winter Games at the next IOC Session in 2024.

The increasing shortages of natural snow as a result of global warming as well as limited water availability for snowmaking pose a huge threat to the future of winter sports.

ONLY 15 POTENTIAL HOSTS Two studies commissioned by the Future Host Commission found that there are currently only 15 National Olympic Committees on three continents that are capable of hosting the Winter Games based on these two criteria: that future Olympic Winter Games hosts should have a target of using only existing or temporary venues; and proposed snow competition venues should be climate reliable until at least the middle of the century.

These 15 already have at least 80 per cent of the venues needed, which means having at least nine out of the 11 venues required for the Olympic Winter Games and 10 out of the 15 have either recently hosted the Games or are interested in hosting the Games in the future.

ONLY 10 BY 2040 However, by 2040, only 10 nations would be able to host the Winter Olympics because “two of these 15 NOCs will no longer have the necessary reliability for the Olympic Winter Games held in February and five will not for the Paralympic Winter Games held in March,” according to the preliminary results of the studies.

Bach said the Future Host Commission has already started looking into ways to address the concerning climate change situation. This implies deliberations on a potential rotation, the composition of the programme, the different needs for sports on ice and snow, and many other elements.

DOUBLE ALLOCATION “We need to address this dramatic impact of climate change,” Bach told a press conference in Mumbai on the second and final day of the IOC EB meeting. “This is a very complex issue and to address this in a proper way we need some more time.

“This is one of the reasons why the future host commission is proposing to get the opportunity for a double allocation of two successive Olympic Winter Games 2030 and 2034.”

The proposal will be discussed further during the IOC Session scheduled for between October 15-17 in Mumbai.

Sweden, Switzerland and France are preparing bids for the 2030 edition, while Salt Lake City officials have their eyes on 2034.

FAKE SNOW The Beijing 2022 Games were the first Winter Olympics to use 100 per cent artificial snow. There were over 100 snow generators and 300 snow-cannons to cover the ski slopes.

TIMELINE The IOC said: “In terms of the timeline, the Future Host Commission will come back to the IOC EB in November with respect to opening a Targeted Dialogue, with a view to an IOC Session election in 2024.”