By Karolos Grohmann
PARIS (Reuters) -Salt Lake City was awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games on Wednesday following a vote of the International Olympic Committee.
The U.S. city, which hosted the 2002 Winter Games, earned 83 votes out of 89 at the IOC session, having been named the preferred choice in June.
“To the people celebrating back home: we are back baby, the Olympics are coming back to Utah,” said Utah governor Spencer Cox, who was part of the presentation team, along with Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, to the IOC session in Paris.
A large crowd had gathered back in Salt Lake City to watch the announcement on big screens.
“Relieved we went trough this part of the process, excitement for what is coming,” said United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee chairman Gene Sykes.
“Humility and appreciation, all those together,” he said. “It will be an unforgettable experience, great celebration and once being in Utah with the people of Utah will be something the entire world sees.”
Salt Lake City had initially wanted to bid for the 2030 Games, which were awarded to France, but dropped those plans due to the date being too close to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“We are thrilled that the Winter Olympics will be returning to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2034. Congrats @SLC2030 @SLCmayor @UtahGov, and @TeamUSA! #SLCUT2034,” the U.S. State Department said in a post on X.
The project hit an unexpected hurdle recently with the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.
The 23 swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) but were later cleared by a Chinese investigation, which said they were inadvertently exposed to the drug through contamination.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did not find any wrongdoing in its own investigation of the cases but it has since triggered a separate U.S. investigation and sharp criticism of WADA’s handling from the U.S. anti-doping agency.
The involvement of U.S. authorities and the use of the Rodchenkov Act in the case angered the IOC which said WADA’s authority could not be unilaterally challenged.
The Rodchenkov Act legislation passed in 2020 extends U.S. law enforcement jurisdiction to any international sporting competitions that involve American athletes or have financial connections to the United States.
The IOC said an amendment in the host city contract had now been added that would allow the IOC to terminate the Olympic host contract “in cases where the supreme authority of WADA in the fight against doping is not fully respected or if the application of anti-doping code is hindered or undermined.”
It said Salt Lake City and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had already signed the amended contract.
“The issues under discussion were not caused by Salt Lake City or the state of Utah or the population of Utah,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“You have nothing to do with this. It is very unfortunately for you and for us that this issue arose when it comes to your election.”
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Vincent DaheronEditing by Christian Radnedge)
