1. Switzerland elevated to a made-up ‘privileged dialogue’ stage to be groomed for 2038
The choice of Switzerland as a third potential Winter Games host as part of an IOC member approved double allocation is baffling, making this widely debated move the top story of the year.
When the IOC Executive Board announced that French Alps 2030 and Salt Lake City 2034 were being elevated to targeted dialogue and on paths to election, Future Host Commission Chair Karl Stoss also reported that Switzerland’s national bid was being moved into ‘privileged dialogue’.
That’s a brand new phase that was never part of plans introduced when the bid process was reformed in 2019.
Switzerland’s privileged dialogue means that the Swiss project has the exclusive opportunity to bid for the 2038 Winter Games until the end of 2027. During that four year period, or until Switzerland opts out, no other parties can discuss a 2038 bid with the IOC as part of the ongoing dialogue.
Why?
Only one month earlier Stoss announced at the IOC Session that there were additional parties interested in participating in ongoing dialogue for editions beyond 2034. But all of those, including Sweden and Sapporo, both that were in the running to host in 2026 and 2030, are now locked out of the process.
Switzerland is home to the IOC headquarters located in Lausanne and has been vying to host the Winter Games over the past few decades. Recent bids, including for 2026, were thwarted by referendums and failing public support. The IOC says that Switzerland needs to solidify public and government support, and optimize the venue plan into tighter clusters to preserve the Olympic atmosphere. This needs to be done before any host election.
My take: this is another tactic for the IOC to remove transparency and work with officials behind the scenes and away from prying eyes. It’s four years where experts can prepare a plan that isn’t designed to compete with other plans, but instead to win public and stakeholder support and control messaging. No reports will be expected along the way.
The IOC wants the important, climate-capable European Winter Games nation to stage in 2038, and they want to be hands-on in grooming the project to move forward carefully.
There are no guarantees that Switzerland will host in 2038 and if it fails to move past the 2027 deadline there will still be eleven years to find another host.
Meanwhile all other bids are shut out of the process for the foreseeable future, and some, including Sapporo, will just close shop.
That was 2023!
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