Concerns about the effects of climate change on potential hosts of the Winter Olympics have led the IOC to delay the election of the host of the 2030 Games.

Speaking at a press conference following an update from the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games at the IOC Executive Board meeting in Lausanne, Christophe Dubi, Olympic Games Executive Director said, “The Commission, building on Agenda 2020, outlined a number of proposals, but also potential uncertainties around hosting the winter Games which could have an impact on future elections.”

Global warming means the IOC could have a smaller pool of potential hosts of Winter Games to choose from.

“We have preliminary results on leading academic research on the impact of climate change which shows a potential reduction in the number of climate-reliable hosts in the future,” said Dubi.

The IOC Executive Board also heard how winter federations have already started to adjust their event calendars and formats.

It was also suggested that the Olympic Winter Game hosting rights might rotate “between a certain pool of cities and regions.”

There was also a conversation about further prioritising existing venues in the host selection criteria. “It is felt that for the future we should target hosts that can display all venues to be existing or temporary.”

Another proposal discussed would require future hosts to “show a minimum average of below zero [degrees Celsius] for snow competition venues at the time of the games over a ten-year period.”

“All these being considered, on the request of the Commission, the IOC Executive Board decided to give the Winter Commission more time to study all these factors and opportunities to make the best possible decisions about future hosting.

“It will enable the Commission to consult deeply with interested parties, IFs, NOCs, the athletes, winter sports industry experts and the IPC – because we are operating over a full month and that needs to be considered in a global warming environment.

“This will give the Commission more time to have a clearer picture and make a sounder decision for 2030.

“This means we are not targeting an election of the host of the Olympic Winter Games 2030 at the 114^th Session in 2023,” said Dubi.

“This is in line with the new flexible approach to electing Olympic hosts under which the Executive Board has the authority to determine the timing of the election in the interest of the Olympic Movement.”

The Executive Board also discussed the possibility of awarding the hosting rights to 2030 and 2034 simultaneously to “create stability for the winter sport and the Olympic Winter Games.”

Dubi said “The three interested parties have been informed of those conversations and discussions,” without naming the cities. Sapporo and Salt Lake City are interested parties; Vancouver was out of contention but may be back in the running.

The host selection process is still in the “continuous dialogue” stage, Jacqueline Barrett, Director of Future Olympic Games Hosts at the IOC explained.

“We haven’t opened targeted dialogue yet. So not targeting next year for a session will allow more time to develop these projects before when the commission feels its ready, to open a targeted dialogue.”

The IOC did not confirm the details of the changed timeframe for opening targeted dialogue, and subsequently electing the host city. 

“We are not going to push this decision many years down the road. We are still in continuous dialogue which is non-committal and open at this stage,” Barrett said.

“The mandate of the Commission is to ensure that there will always be a healthy pipeline of interest for the future… our door is never closed.

“There was a collective recognition around the table today… there are these concerns about the future of the Winter Games; the future of being able to practice Winter Games in the future – everyone is concerned about this.”

Sarah Lewis OBE OLY, Deputy Secretary General & Chief Operating Officer of FISU, and former Secretary General of FIS, told Host City: "Winter sports are and will increasingly need to adapt to a warming planet. We need to recognize our responsibility to ensure events are hosted in the most sustainable way possible today while having an adaptative, innovative and creative mindset regarding what winter sports will look like in the future. Transition is always painful but innovation and an adaptive, responsible mindset will hopefully enable a dynamic and engaging future for our athletes and all those engaged in winter sports.

"Lake Placid as Organiser of the FISU World University Games in January 2023 has embraced sustainability as a core element of the Games. Alongside the competitions themselves, the Lake Placid World Forum 2023 'Save Winter' will address this topic with leading academics and practitioners. Save Winter is a movement to unite all of us who love winter to work as one to save the season of snow. More than 40 million of us enjoy winter sports and recreation. Save Winter will help ensure we’re doing everything we can to reduce our impact on the planet and enjoy winter as it was meant to be enjoyed. It’s about more than just snow - it’s about keeping winter for generations to come."

[Source: IOC] An IOC member since 2020, Mrs Grabar-Kitarović is a former President of the Republic of Croatia. She will lead the Commission with immediate effect. The previous Chair, Kristin Kloster Aasen, stood down following her election to the Executive Board (EB), because no EB member can serve on the Future Host Commissions (for the Games of the Olympiad and the Olympic Winter Games), to ensure the broader participation of the IOC Session in the selection procedure. 

The new approach to electing Olympic hosts is more flexible and collaborative, with the IOC working with potential hosts to optimise their Olympic projects and align them with long-term social and economic development plans for the benefit of their communities. As a result, there is unprecedented interest from numerous parties on different continents in hosting future Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The Future Host Commissions have an important role in shaping the future of the Olympic Movement.

“Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović will bring rich and diverse skills and experience, including at the very highest levels of government and international relations. As a member of the same Commission, she has already contributed to the successful delivery of the first election under the new approach to choosing Olympic and Paralympic hosts, with the selection of Brisbane 2032,” he added.

Mrs Grabar-Kitarović said: “I am grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with potential hosts on Olympic projects, which will help them to achieve their long-term goals for development, public health, sports participation and inclusion.

“I would like to continue to build on the great work begun under Kristin’s leadership. It is an exciting chance to develop innovative ways to steer the Olympic Games into the future and explore the challenges facing upcoming hosts, such as climate change.”

The vacant position on the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad has been filled by the IOC member and President of World Triathlon, Marisol Casado.

[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord has launched the host city application processes for future editions of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit from 2023 and the Regional SportAccord from 2022.

Cities interested in hosting the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering have been invited to submit a Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. The next edition of the event will take place from 15-20 May 2022 in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America took place in December 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, USA, and those interested in hosting future editions can complete a Bid City Application Form. Applications will be considered to host a dedicated Regional SportAccord for Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, as well as Pan America.

Information about who attends both events, as well as hotel accommodation requirements, short- and long-term hosting benefits, the financial commitments and hosting terms, and the bidding and selection processes can be found by accessing the City Application Information Packages for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit here and Regional SportAccord here.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, first held in 2003, is the only global sports business gathering attended by all international sport federations and their affiliated umbrella organisations, as well as organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, plus experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With more than 1,500 key decision-makers representing over 1,000 different organisations and over 150 cities and regions in attendance, the six-day event in March, April or May each year features high-level meetings, a conference programme split into multiple sector-specific ‘streams’, an exhibition and numerous social events.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, says: “We have been greatly encouraged by the significant number of destinations that have expressed an interest in hosting future editions of our industry-leading events as the global industry continues its recovery from the pandemic. We look forward to receiving formal applications in the coming weeks and months for these events, which will take place after the highly anticipated SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg marks a milestone in the global sports movement’s resurgence.”

Regional SportAccord was launched in order to bring together international sport federations and organisations involved in the business of sport for a specific region, with the 2019 Regional SportAccord Pan America event attended by international sport federations, cities and ministries, rights-holders and industry experts. Designed to welcome more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries representing well over 200 different organisations, Regional SportAccord, held over three days, also showcases a two-day conference programme and an extensive sports industry exhibition.

Click here to check out the City Application Information Package and here to access the Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit. For Regional SportAccord, the City Application Information Package can be accessed here and the Bid City Application Form can be found here.

Each Bid City Application Form should be submitted along with a formal Letter of Commitment that has been signed on behalf of the prospective host city.

For any questions regarding the Bid City Application Process, please contact SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt by email at nis.hatt@sportaccord.sport or by phone at +41 79 126 62 28. Every Bid City Application will be presented to the SportAccord Executive Committee for review, and each city will receive feedback in due course.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2022 in Ekaterinburg, the 19^th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2022 exhibition space.

[Source: SportAccord] GAISF has launched the host city selection process for future editions of various world multi-sport events, including the World Urban Games, World Combat Games and World Mind Games.

The world multi-sport events bring the best of sport to host cities, driving global exposure and creating the perfect bridge between elite sport and local communities.

GAISF and SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli said:

“We are delighted to open the host city selection process for future multi-sport Games. All of these events bring the best of sport to the heart of a city, while engaging with youth communities through inspiring initiatives to encourage greater participation in physical activity.

“We are also excited to be working with SportAccord from an operational perspective on the delivery of these various events. SportAccord has extensive experience in the organisation of world-class events and a thorough understanding of the global sports community and multi-sport event landscape.”

Following the successful inaugural 2019 edition of the GAISF World Urban Games in Budapest, GAISF has scheduled a second edition for 2023. The initial version included BMX freestyle, inline roller freestyle, parkour, breaking, 3x3 basketball and freestyle flying disc, together with laser run and indoor rowing. The World Urban Games places sport at the heart of a family-friendly city-centre festival that also includes music and art.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia was recently selected as the next host of the World Combat Games with Riyadh set to become the beating heart of martial arts combat sports in 2023. Finally, the World Mind Games are a multi-sport event centred on the gymnasium of the mind and highlighting the great value of the mind sports.

City representatives who want to learn more should not hesitate to contact GAISF Director and SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt at nis.hatt@sportaccord.com.

• Brisbane moved to “targeted dialogue” as the first project to meet feasibility criteria

• This doesn’t mean a host has been elected now

• If targeted dialogue is unsuccessful, “continuous dialogue” with Brisbane and other interested parties could resume

• New approach to selecting hosts enables long term strategic outlook

• Expert advice is to "seize solid existing opportunities" due to impact of Covid crisis

• No double award with 2036 due to uncertain outlook beyond 2032

The IOC progressed Brisbane to the “targeted dialogue” stage of candidature for the 2032 Olympic Games following “expert advice” to “seize solid existing opportunities and secure the future” – but planning even further ahead is not recommended by IOC Members addressing the 137th IOC Session.

, Chair of the Future Hosts Commission for the Summer Games addressed the question of whether to consider a double award for 2032 and 2036, akin to the dual awarding of Paris and Los Angeles.

“The 2024 and 2028 double award was a very different situation for many reasons, not least because it was an election 11 years ahead, while 2036 would represent 15 years before the Games,” she said.

“In addition the Olympic Games will evolve tremendously during this period. The Games are a reflection of society and there is going to be an evolution in national and individual priorities on sustainability, human development and other topics.

“The UN Sustainable Development Goals are expected to be concluded by the early 2030s and there will certainly be new, more ambitious objectives with which the Olympic movement will want to align. 

“The Games should also reflect the fast-evolving sports landscape. In addition there can also be many changes to the political landscape over such a long period, which adds to the uncertainty.”

IOC Member and Austrian Olympic Committee President Karl Stoss also highlighted the importance of keeping future Games bids open to other prospective hosts.

“It is great to have a long perspective of our host cities and regions,” he said. “With 2032 Brisbane and Queensland we have a long-term strategy about our hosts of our [Summer Olympic] Games after Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles and hopefully Brisbane Australia," he said.

“But it is also our responsibility, and from the perspective of good governance and fairness, not to go too far in the future, because there may be some other interested parties and cities and regions.

“We have a good choice if we do it for 2032, but in the mind of good governance and fairness for all – maybe all other interested cities and regions – we have not to go too far in the future.”

The IOC elected in January 2019 to take a new dialogue-based approach to selecting Olympic hosts.

“The non-committal and confidential nature of the approach, with no financial commitment, benefits both interested parties and the IOC,” said Kloster Aasen.

“It has encouraged interested parties to come to the table to test ideas and concepts and explore a vision or a potential for hosting future games or ask for information.”

The process begins with a phase known as “continuous dialogue”.

“Since there is no submission required in continuous dialogue, as opposed to the past, interested parties spend very little money and benefit from up to date information and expertise from the IOC at no cost to them. They can test plans and assumptions without public debate and see how to best align their Olympic planning with their own development plans for their communities.

“This flexibility also benefits the Olympic movement to have a long-term strategic outlook across editions of the Games.”

Through the new procedure, a candidate’s hosting plan is moved from continuous dialogue to targeted dialogue when it meets certain criteria, as has now happened with Brisbane.

“It became clear that one project, and only one project met all the opportunities we have seen in the public feasibility assessment, and that project was Brisbane.

“Moving to a targeted dialogue means that we are moving a project to a second stage for a detailed development and assessment.... [it] does not mean that we are electing an Olympic host now.

“Once a preferred host has been selected for a particular edition of the games, no other interested party can enter into targeted dialogue for the same Games, unless the first targeted dialogue has been unsuccessfully concluded.”

Brisbane will now develop its plans in more detail.

“If Brisbane delivers, the Executive Board would be in a position to put Brisbane 2032 forward to the Session to a vote. If not, despite best efforts by both parties, the IOC and Brisbane, the Executive Board could advise the Future Host Commission to go back to continuous dialogue with Brisbane and other interested parties.”

Global economic repercussions

The impact of Covid 19 has been felt by National Olympic Committees and interested parties in continuous dialogue. “Many projects were put on hold while governments were concentrating on protecting the health of their cities and trying to shore up their economies,” Kloster Aasen said.

And the impact will be felt for years to come. “Once the health crisis is over, it is going to have global economic repercussions. The world economy is going through an unprecedented crisis. The current health crisis will have wider global consequences especially with respect to the labour market and the risk of increased inequality.

“While the impact of the crisis can be witnessed now, experts forecast that the world economy is likely to be most impacted over the next 5 years, during the period when we would have expected to elect a host for 2032 under the previous candidature system.

“The expert advice that we have been given is that we should seize solid existing opportunities and secure the future for a next generation of athletes who are facing an uncertain future.”

[Source: SailGP] Following the announcement of an expanded event calendar for its second season that opens in less than 50 days and features eight events across three continents, SailGP today opened the bid process for its Season 3 host venues, starting in 2022. SailGP is inviting cities that are committed to creating a better future to be part of its sustainable global racing calendar as the league sets out to champion a world powered by nature.

Responsible for more than 70 percent of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, cities play a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. SailGP host cities will share its commitment to a cleaner future and will be pioneering innovative solutions to mitigate climate change.

As the first climate positive sports and entertainment property – removing more carbon than its footprint – SailGP is already leading the way and setting a new standard for major event hosting. From its inception in 2019, SailGP has been measuring, reducing and offsetting its own carbon footprint and has set an ambitious target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint – based on science – by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025. The remaining carbon that can not be eliminated is offset via a partnership with One Carbon World, directly supporting renewable energy wind projects around the world.

SailGP became a world first in sport to be certified as carbon neutral (carbon emission report) and achieve both the Carbon Neutral International Standard and join the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative, reaffirming its commitment to maintain a zero-carbon operational stance.

Further highlighting that SailGP is more than a racing championship, the global league has achieved the international sustainability standard ISO20121 in unprecedented speed ahead of its second season. A legacy born from the London 2012 Olympics, ISO20121 is a robust sustainable event management system developed to an international standard.

Future SailGP host cities must sign the league’s Climate Action Charter and commit to two key impact projects: one on energy powered by nature for the city and a blue carbon project to maintain or restore critical carbon-sequestering shoreline ecosystems to protect the waters in which SailGP racing takes place.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We want to use our platform to undertake bold and creative activities that achieve our goal of helping to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. SailGP Season 3 will set a new standard for sport globally though our aspiration to assemble the most sustainable global events calendar in sport. Therefore we are inviting cities that share our passion for the environment and clean energy to become a part of history and host a SailGP event in Season 3 and beyond.”

Beyond positioning themselves as a global leader in sustainability and clean energy – plus the association with a world class climate positive global event – host venues will also benefit from direct economic impact. In its inaugural season, SailGP generated an average impact of $23 million per event and attracted a worldwide broadcast audience of 256 million across five events.

These economic and environmental benefits are matched with community engagement opportunities through SailGP Inspire – the league’s inclusive community, education and outreach initiative – and SailGP’s Race for the Future purpose-driven agenda.

Fiona Morgan, SailGP director of purpose and impact, said: “Our ambition is to be the most sustainable and purpose-driven global sports platform. We believe the power of sport can make a big difference to educate and tackle climate change, and next season will be another step in using our platform to do just that. We want to work with host cities that share our values and commitment to a cleaner and better future, and together – working with like-minded cities and partners – believe we have the power to change the world, one event, one city at a time.”

Each grand prix is a two-day event comprising six races in identical high-speed catamarans, and includes a final match race to determine the winner. Two to three days of training provide additional scope for host venues to maximize activation opportunities.

Building on the foundations set in Seasons 1 and 2, SailGP’s third season will commence in May 2022 and run through March 2023.

Additional details on the bid process can be accessed via Venues@SailGP.com. Cities must express interest no later than April 2021.

[Source: FIFA] As part of the next stage of the venue selection process, FIFA has provided further information to the 23 candidate host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States regarding the timeline with deadlines set for 2021, subject to any restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following on from the information-exchange phase initiated last year, FIFA and the host associations will organise virtual one-on-one meetings with each stadium to discuss infrastructural aspects from the end of February 2021 onwards.

From April 2021, FIFA and the host associations will launch targeted virtual discussions with each candidate host city.

Bearing in mind the constantly changing circumstances with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, FIFA and the host associations are aiming to start the venue visits in the candidate host cities at the beginning of July 2021. In keeping with FIFA’s policy of following the recommendations of the health authorities in the context of the pandemic, the visits will only take place if the health and safety situation in the host countries allows FIFA to do so.

Provided the aforementioned venue visits are conducted, FIFA and the host associations aim to have the host cities appointed by the FIFA Council in the last quarter of 2021.

As per the focus areas for assessment shared during the candidate host city workshops last year, while stadiums remain the foundation for the successful hosting of a FIFA World Cup, FIFA considers that providing key infrastructure and services (both sporting and general) and realising the commercial potential of each venue, as well as in terms of sustainability, human rights and event legacy, is of the utmost importance.

In line with FIFA’s strategic objective of making football truly global, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first-ever edition of the competition to feature 48 teams.

[Source: SportAccord] Cities interested in hosting the global sports industry’s most influential annual gathering in 2022 or  subsequent editions have been invited to submit a Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit.

The inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America took place in December last year in Fort Lauderdale, USA, and those interested in hosting future editions in any year through to 2023 can complete a Bid City Application Form.  Applications will be considered to host a dedicated Regional SportAccord for Europe, Asia, Africa or Oceania, as well as Pan America.

Each Bid City Application Form should be submitted along with a formal Letter of Commitment that has been signed on behalf of the prospective host city.

Information about who attends both events, as well as hotel accommodation requirements, short- and long-term hosting benefits, the financial commitments and hosting terms, and the bidding and selection processes can be found by accessing the City Application Information Packages for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit here and Regional SportAccord here.

The SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, first held in 2003, is the only global sports business gathering attended by all international sport federations and their affiliated umbrella organisations, as well as organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, plus experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

With more than 1,500 key decision-makers representing at least 1,000 different organisations and over 150 cities and regions in attendance, the six-day event in March, April or May each year features high-level meetings, a conference programme split into multiple sector-specific ‘streams’, a bustling exhibition and numerous social events for delegates.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, says: “We have already received numerous expressions of interest regarding future editions of both of these industry-leading events from prospective host cities from across the globe. We are focusing on the future with great optimism, with the highly anticipated World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg serving as a significant signpost, and we look forward to receiving formal applications in the coming weeks and months for events that will support a bright new chapter for the international sports movement.”

Regional SportAccord was launched in order to bring together international sport federations and organisations involved in the business of sport for a specific region, with the 2019 Regional SportAccord Pan America event attended by international sport federations, cities and ministries, rights-holders and industry experts. Designed to welcome more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries representing at least 200 different organisations, Regional SportAccord, held over three days, also showcases a two-day conference programme and an extensive sports industry exhibition.

Every Bid City Application will be presented to the SportAccord Executive Committee for review, and each city will receive feedback in due course.

Click here to check out the City Application Information Package and here to access the Bid City Application Form for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit.

For Regional SportAccord, the City Application Information Package can be accessed here and the Bid City Application Form can be found here.

For any questions regarding the Bid City Application Process, please contact SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt by email at nis.hatt@sportaccord.sport or by phone at +41 79 126 62 28.

For organisations interested in experiencing the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg, Russia can contact SportAccord to discuss by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport.

You can also follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

Host City: Congratulations on your appointment as chair of the recently formed Future Host Commission. What is the Commission’s primary role?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: First of all, I am honoured and excited to have been appointed to chair the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Games and YOG (Summer). Together with the other members of the Commission, who each hold important expertise and knowledge and the support of the highly skilled IOC Olympic Games Department and Future Olympic Hosts team, we will do our best to fulfil the mandate of the Commission provided to us.

The Future Host Commissions, one for summer and one for winter Games, have been established (approved by the IOC Session in June 2019) to undertake a whole new approach to electing future hosts of the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games, advising and providing recommendations to the IOC Executive Board in this regard.

The overarching goal is to ensure that the Olympic Games may be fully aligned with future hosts’ long-term development plans. And that a dynamic and engaging new approach will benefit future hosts and provide the best possible Games for the athletes and participants.

The Future Host Commissions will oversee interest in future Games by establishing a permanent, non-edition-specific dialogue to explore interest among cities/regions/ countries and National Olympic Committees. This means that “host” does not necessarily refer to a single city as in the past but opens the door to multiple cities, regions and countries. Election timings are now flexible and adjusted to local opportunities and context – meaning that the former seven-year rule no longer applies.

This “Continuous Dialogue” as we call it is non-committal for both parties and will not require the interested parties to submit any reports. And this alone will contribute to cost reduction for the city/region/country as well as the NOC. The Commissions will monitor and analyse the projects, provide feasibility assessments, the results of which will form the basis for recommendations to the IOC Executive Board. The Commissions will report regularly to the Executive Board.

When the Executive Board makes a strategic decision to move forward with one or more Preferred Host(s) for a specific edition of the Games, this defines the start of a “Targeted Dialogue.”

At this time the preferred host(s) will be asked to submit a set of streamlined documents, including guarantees. The requirements and timelines will be the same for all preferred hosts. The Future Host Commissions will continue our work by making more detailed evaluations of the projects. This part is similar to the previous “Candidature Process”.

It is the responsibility of the Executive Board to put forward one or more preferred hosts for election at the IOC Session. Meaning that the IOC Membership will continue to be the final decision-makers on future hosts of the Olympic Games.

Host City: The Olympic bidding process now starts with an “invitation phase”. Who takes the initiative here – does the IOC identify and contact suitable cities, or do cities tend to come to you? Who is invited and how?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: The role of the Commissions is to permanently explore, monitor and encourage interest in future Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and Youth Olympic Games.

I believe it is likely that the initiative to the dialogue will arise from the interested parties themselves. However, referring to the role of the Commissions, the IOC has laid the foundation for a dynamic and open approach working both ways.

Host City: Some regions are already looking to bid – Queensland and Rhine-Ruhr, for example. What advantages might a regional bid have over a city bid – and would national, or even international bids be conceivable in the future?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: Sustainability is one of the pillars of IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms. Therefore, we now say that new permanent venues should only be considered by a host if they align with the long-term plans of the local community. When this is not the case, the most suitable existing venue should be used, even if located in different cities, regions or countries.

The door is open for any interested party however way they chose to form. There is no “one size fits all” solution. We now provide the flexibility for Games projects to adapt to the future objectives of the hosts, and the best ones will be those that most successfully achieve this goal. However, the NOC of the country in question is of course still key.

Host City: What would you say is the most important issue facing the major event hosting sector today, and what needs to be done to address this issue?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: Whereas the Future Host Commissions will monitor and promote interest in future Olympic Games, they will also study long-term challenges facing the Olympic Games, such as climate change and legacy use of competition venues, in which the IOC Sustainability and Legacy strategies will play an important part.

The new election approach will increase IOC flexibility, and enable us and interested parties to better react to various developments and opportunities such as geographic, strategic, economic and societal.

Host City: What was your impression of Lausanne 2020 – how is the Youth Olympic Games developing as an event?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: Visiting Lausanne 2020 was a fantastic experience. These Winter YOG have manifested themselves as unique, sustainable and inspiring Games; by, for and with youth.

The concept of the use of several locations for venues, use of a unique public transport network for athletes, support personnel and spectators really highlight a modern approach in line with the ambitions set out in Olympic Agenda 2020.

The number of spectators at every venue and competition I visited was impressive and gave the Games a real feeling of home support for the Swiss (and French) people. Also, Lausanne which is normally a quiet city was full of life and young people every day. Great fun!

Host City: How are sports at Tokyo 2020 reflecting a new focus on young and urban audiences?

Kristin Kloster Aasen: The Olympic Games are more urban, more youthful and more gender balanced than ever before. Not only are new sports and disciplines like 3x3 Basketball, BMX freestyle, Skateboarding, Surfing, and Sport Climbing youth-focused events, they will feature in an atmosphere that puts the fan in front. The diversity of new and established sports and disciplines reflects well Tokyo’s cultural blend of tradition and innovation.

We have also re-imagined how the Olympic Games could be organised, simplifying venue plans, and using existing facilities, which has led to more than USD 4 billion in savings. All of this while making sure the Games are more exciting and engaging for fans both young and old around the world.

The State Government of Queensland confirmed on Monday 9^th December that it has given the green light to bidding for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The State Government said in a statement that it “will pursue hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, if all levels of government get behind the State’s efforts and provide appropriate financial support”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a detailed value proposition assessment had shown that a Queensland based Games in 2032 could deliver significant economic and community benefits for the State.

“This is about so much more than a few weeks of sport,” she said.

“Hosting the 2032 Olympics and Paralympics could be a game changer and deliver 20 years of accelerated opportunity for our State.

“That’s why Cabinet has today made the decision to continue working towards securing a Games – and we will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure we receive the financial support we require from all levels of Government.

“There’s more work to do to ensure we are in a position to put a compelling case to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“As I’ve said all along, we will only proceed if it is in the best interests of Queenslanders.

“A strong partnership, including the right funding commitments, is vital – and our focus now is to secure that ahead of key discussions with the IOC at the Tokyo Olympics in July next year.”

Palaszczuk said the value assessment had shown the Games could: create 130,000 jobs; accelerate infrastructure development; boost international tourism spending by more than $20 billion; deliver up to $8.6 billion in new trade opportunities; and deliver procurement and supply chain opportunities for businesses throughout the State.

The approach towards the Games bid will be pursued in stages, with the next stage being to secure financial agreement between all levels of government, followed by finalisation of the candidature file.

“The world’s greatest event provides a platform like no other. It’s an opportunity to showcase Queensland to the rest of the world,” said Palaszczuk.

“Hosting around 11,000 athletes from 206 countries, and an estimated television audience of 3.2 billion people would see the world watching Queensland at its best.

“Queensland’s climate and world-class facilities provide an ideal environment for elite athletes to train and perform at their best, but it also has the ability to motivate our communities to participate in sport and lead a healthier lifestyle.”

She said the IOC’s “New Norm” rules meant it was the ideal time for the State to pursue the opportunity, with the IOC prepared to put in a significant investment towards Games delivery and provide flexibility.

“We are well placed with more than 80 per cent of venues existing or proposed to be temporary.

“This is not only about a few weeks of sport. This would leave a legacy supporting Queenslanders for decades into the future.”

The news comes shortly after a delegation from Tourism and Events Queensland participated in Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, on 26-27 November.