Olympic Updates

Olympic Agenda 2020 reduces candidature budgets for 2026 Winter Games

Independently audited accounts of the Candidature Process for the Olympic Winter Games 2026 show the average budget was less than USD 5 million compared to approximately USD 35 million in the previous process for the Olympic Winter Games 2022.

This was a direct result of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) implementing recommendation 3 of Olympic Agenda 2020, which called for reducing the cost of candidatures by further assisting interested parties.

This information was presented to the IOC Session in the report of the IOC Olympic Games department.

“With Olympic Agenda 2020, we have a more flexible and collaborative approach to help interested parties align the Games with their long-term ambitions,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “This has made creating Olympic Games projects much more affordable and accessible, which was proven by the Candidature Process 2026 and the many expressions of interest we have received for future Olympic Games.”

The 2026 process was completely reformed to increase partnership, flexibility and sharing of knowledge. It featured a one-year non-committal Dialogue Stage, during which the IOC worked hand in hand with seven Interested Cities and National Olympic Committees.

Additional support was offered to help them develop Games projects that could best fit their local context as well as their needs and long-term development plans.

Technical services that candidates would have had to procure themselves to be able to design their projects in the past were provided at IOC cost and in partnership with its stakeholders. These included interactive working sessions and visits by experts to offer advice and assistance in areas such as Games concept, governance and operations, legal, marketing, finance, sustainability, and legacy.

In addition to a reduced number of deliverables and presentations, the additional investment from the IOC in services and support has paid off by reducing costs and creating projects that are better suited for the future of hosts and the Olympic Movement.

Following the 2026 Host City Election and moving forward with the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms, the IOC approved a more targeted and streamlined approach to future host elections, in which flexibility and sustainability continue to be key drivers. It opens the door to any interested party to enter into non-committal continuous dialogue with the IOC, which does not have to be edition-specific, through two permanent Future Host Commissions (Summer and Winter). It also allows the IOC to target a potential host if deemed beneficial to the Olympic Movement.

The IOC will continue to offer hands-on support and expertise to help define and develop projects in partnership with the interested parties that will produce many long-lasting legacies for the local populations.

Registration for Beijing 2022 Press Briefing opens

The registration for the Olympic Winter Games’ traditional Press Briefing, to be held in Beijing, is now open.

Unlike previous editions, which featured a three day meeting with venue tours and other first-hand encounters, the WPB for the 2022 Winter Olympics will be streamlined into two three-hour long sessions held across three days beginning on 19th October.

To accommodate the marked time differences, Beijing staff are preparing to be up late in the day for the briefing from 19:00 to 22:00 localtime.

A final day of the WPB is set aside for unilateral meetings between staff and media on matters such as accommodation, rate cards and transportation.

A second phase of the WPB for on the scene inspection of Beijing Olympic venues is being planned for January. Assuming travel restrictions allow the majority of participants to enter China. Organizers acknowledge that the in-person visits will be subject to the Covid-19 conditions at the time.

This WPB will be the first under the watch of Lucia de Montanarella, who was named IOC Media Operations chief in January. A veteran of every Olympics since Turin 2006, she has been a constant in other media management posts and a WPB mainstay.

The last WPB for a Winter Games took place in 2016 in PyeongChang, South Korea and drew about 200 delegates.