Salt Lake City has been awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics following a vote by the International Olympic Committee.
The American city, which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, received 83 of 89 votes during the IOC session and was named favorite city in June.
“To those celebrating at home, we’re back, honey, the Olympics are coming back to Utah,” said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who along with Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn was part of the presentation team at the IOC session in Paris.
A large crowd gathered in Salt Lake City to watch the announcement on large screens.
“I am relieved that we have completed this part of the process and I look forward to what lies ahead,” said Gene Sykes, chairman of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Salt Lake City was announced Wednesday as the host of the 2034 Winter Olympics
Salt Lake City was the only contender due to climate change and high operating costs
Salt Lake City initially wanted to bid to host the 2030 Games, which were subsequently awarded to France. However, the company abandoned those plans because the date would be too close to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2034 to host the Winter Olympics. Congratulations @SLC2030 @SLCmayor @UtahGov and @TeamUSA! #SLCUT2034,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement on X.
The project recently hit an unexpected hurdle when 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The 23 swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), but were later cleared by a Chinese investigation, which found they had been unintentionally exposed to the drug through contamination.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found no irregularities in its own investigation into the cases, but has since launched a separate investigation in the US and sharply criticised the US Anti-Doping Agency’s handling of WADA.
The involvement of US authorities and the use of the Rodchenkov Act in the case angered the IOC, which argued that WADA’s authority could not be challenged unilaterally.
The American city, which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, received 83 votes from the 89 IOC members
The Rodchenkov Act, passed in 2020, expands the jurisdiction of U.S. law enforcement to all international sporting competitions involving American athletes or with financial ties to the United States.
The IOC said an amendment has now been added to the contract with the host city, allowing the IOC to terminate the contract with the Olympic Games “in cases where WADA’s highest authority in the fight against doping is not fully respected or where the application of the Anti-Doping Code is hampered or undermined.”
Salt Lake City and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had already signed the amended contract.
“The issues under discussion were not created by Salt Lake City, the state of Utah or the people of Utah,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“You have nothing to do with this. It is very unfortunate for you and for us that this problem occurred when it was your election.”
