(ATR) The United States wants a Winter Olympics, but will sit out the next bid cycle.
United States Olympic Committee acting chief executive Susanne Lyons sent a letter to the IOC communicating its "desire to host a future Olympic Winter Games". The letter is Lyons’ first major action as acting chief executive, following the resignation of Scott Blackmun for health issues.
"We currently have three cities who are actively interested in the potential for hosting the 2030 Games or beyond," Lyons’ letter, seen by Around the Rings, reads. "To maximize benefit for these cities, and in alignment with the IOC’s Agenda 2020, we are therefore confirming our desire to participate in further dialogue with the IOC."
Last month USOC leadership confirmed it was passing on a 2026 Winter Olympics bid for marketing reasons. Los Angeles is hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics, and has a marketing agreement with the USOC. A 2026 Winter Olympics in the U.S. could complicate the agreement.
Three U.S. cities have expressed interest in a 2030 Olympic bid, Denver, Reno-Tahoe, and Salt Lake City. The USOC has not signaled it has a preferred bidder yet, as each three work through the candidature process.
The letter also could keep the USOC in the loop with the IOC should another agreement be made for a dual Olympic allocation with the next two Winter Olympics. As of now there is no indication of such an agreement, but USOC chairman Larry Probst has mentioned being prepared for such an arrangement.
"If the IOC considers the possibility of a dual award for 2026 and '30, like they did for 2028, we certainly want to be in that conversation," Probst said after the USOC board of directors meeting last October.
The USOC have been under fire for its handling of the Larry Nassar gymnastics sexual abuse scandal. Blackmun said in his resignation that his ongoing battle against prostate cancer was a major factor in his resignation, and he was not the leader the USOC needed in this time of crisis.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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