Three cities to compete to host the 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Sochi (Russia), Salzburg (Austria) and PyeongChang (Republic of Korea)* were today accepted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board in Lausanne as Candidate Cities to host the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014. The cities were accepted unanimously from a total of seven Applicant Cities, which also included Jaca (Spain), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Borjomi (Georgia).

The selection was based on a study of, and subsequent report on, the Candidate Cities' applications submitted earlier this year on 1 February. The study and report were made by a working group comprising Olympic Games experts who made a technical assessment of each Applicant City's potential to stage successful Olympic Winter Games in 2014. The technical assessment was based on 25 questions which included the areas of Government Support and Public Opinion, General Infrastructure, Sports Venues, Olympic Village, Environmental Conditions and Impact, Accommodation, Transport, Security, Experience from Past Sports Events, Overall Project and Legacy. The full report made by the working group is available on the IOC website, www.olympic.org.

The three Candidate Cities now have until 10 January 2007 to submit their Candidature File to the IOC. The Candidature Files will be analysed in detail by an IOC Evaluation Commission, which will also visit the Candidate Cities, before issuing a report one month prior to the election. The final decision on the host city for the XXII Olympic Winter Games will be made by the full IOC membership during the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City in July 2007.

Please note: the Candidature Procedure and Questionnaire, which outlines the procedures, rules and deadlines to be respected until the election of the host city, as well as the in-depth questionnaire which Candidate Cities must respond to in their Candidature File, will also be available on the IOC website, www.olympic.org in the coming days.

* Cities are listed in the order of drawing of lots.