(ATR) Austria and Italy are officially in the race to host the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
The Austria Olympic Committee (ÖOC) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) revealed on Thursday, March 29, that they have sent the so-called "letter of intent" to the IOC to join the dialogue phase of the bidding process. The deadline to enter is Saturday, March 31.
Both countries are putting forth joint bids.
Graz and Schladming will carry the torch for Austria while Milan and Turin will do the honors for Italy.
This is the second 2026 bid attempt by Austria, after a failed referendum last October torpedoed an effort by Innsbruck to host the Winter Games for a third time. Like the Innsbruck bid, the Graz-Schladming project wants to make use of existing venues throughout Austria and southern Germany.
"Now begins the actual concept phase, with commissioning the feasibility study, developing concepts, detailed working discussions,"ÖOC secretary general Peter Mennel said in a statement. "We look forward to working with Graz."
CONI chose Milan and 2006 hosts Turin over other interested bidders including Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 1956 Winter Games host, and the Veneto region.
CONI says other areas of Italy could be used for certain Olympic competitions as part of a Milan-Turin bid.
The chances of the Italian bid going anywhere is contingent on the support of a still to be determined national government . A coalition is required because no one party gained a majority in elections earlier this month.
CONI told the IOC it has already completed a feasibility study for the bid and will present it to the government once it is formed.
With Milan-Turin and Graz-Schladming joining on Thursday, there are now six interested parties to have joined the dialogue phase. Calgary, Sapporo, Stockholm and Sion, Switzerland have all been a part of the official process for some time.
It is unlikely there will be any other bidders by Saturday's deadline. The Norwegian Olympic Committee tells Around the Rings it ruled out a bid from Lillehammer in January despite reports earlier this month from Lillehammer’s mayor that the city could enter the race.
The IOC is expected to reveal the official list of bidding cities on April 3.
Should the Milan-Turin bid make the IOC’s final cut for official candidates at the end of October, a change in the IOC rules would be needed.
Milan is the host for the 2019 Session where the host cities for the 2026 Winter Games and 2025 Winter Youth Games will be selected. The Olympic Charter states that a country cannot be awarded an Olympic Games when holding an IOC Session.
Written by Gerard Farek
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