Quebec Withdraws Bid to Host 2022 Winter Olympics | Canada

Quebec Withdraws Bid to Host 2022 Winter Olympics
Vittorio Hernandez

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Quebec City announced that it would no longer bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Quebec Mayor Regis Labeaume said they decided not to pursue the bid because of a feeling that the city would not win and to save money. He announced the decision after meeting with Quebec Premier Jean Charest and members of the Olympic task force, Team Quebec and the president of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Lebeaume explained the hosting by Pyeongchang in South Korea of the 2018 Games would make it difficult for a Canadian city to win the 2022 bid because the International Olympic Committee would likely favor a European city.

The mayor also cited lack of infrastructure to host the game since Mont a Ligouri, the mountain that Quebec plans to use for alpine ski events, failed to pass the International Ski Federation's standards.

However, he said Quebec is still open to the idea of hosting the event in 2026. Team Quebec was created by Charest with the aim of hosting the winter games in 2022 or 2026.

Vancouver hosted the Winter Games in 2010, for which Quebec placed a bid, as well as an earlier attempt in 2002, which was awarded to Salt Lake City, UT.

Among the cities that have offered to host the 2022 Winter Games are Almaty in Kazakhstan Munich, Denver, Oslo, Barcelona and several Swiss cities.