Salt Lake City to Host 2034 Winter Olympics Amid Doping Controversy

Salt Lake City will host the 2034 Winter Olympics following an International Olympic Committee vote. The U.S. city, previously the host in 2002, faced competition from other candidates. The decision follows doping controversies involving Chinese swimmers, leading to a stricter anti-doping amendment in the host city contract.

Salt Lake City has been awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games following a decisive vote by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The U.S. city, which previously hosted the Winter Games in 2002, secured 83 out of 89 votes at the IOC session held in Paris. Utah Governor Spencer Cox enthusiastically remarked, 'We are back, baby. The Olympics are coming back to Utah.'

Initially vying for the 2030 Games, Salt Lake City shifted focus to 2034 to avoid potential conflicts with the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The U.S. State Department celebrated the news with a congratulatory post on social media.

The announcement comes amid ongoing concerns about doping in sports. Recently, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine but were later cleared by a Chinese investigation citing contamination. This triggered a separate U.S. investigation and criticism of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

To address these issues, the IOC has amended the host city contract to allow termination if WADA's authority is not fully respected. Salt Lake City has already signed this amended contract, ensuring stricter anti-doping measures for future Games.