Bids for the 2022 Winter Olympics


A total of six bids were initially submitted for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Four of the bids were subsequently withdrawn by 1 October 2014, citing either the high costs of hosting the Games or the lack of local support, leaving Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing, China as the only two remaining candidate cities. Beijing was then elected as the host city at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 31 July 2015.

Bidding calendar

On 3 October 2012, the IOC announced in a letter to the NOCs the bidding calendar for the 2022 Winter Olympics:
Note that the selected candidate cities have slightly changed venues plan in the final proposal to the IOC. Almaty moved technical alpine skiing events from Shymbulak to Tau, and completely removed both Kok Zhaylau and Ak-Bulak ski resorts, previously proposed for snowboarding and freestyle skiing events. Beijing dropped both Taiwu and Wanlong ski resorts, and proposed hosting snowboarding and freestyle skiing events in the two venues in Genting Snow Park.

Withdrawn candidate city


EventOslo
Event
Olympics dates11 Feb – 27 Feb
Paralympics dates11 Mar – 20 Mar
Opening and closing ceremoniesBjerke Travbane
Alpine skiing1) Kvitfjell Hafjell Holmenkollbakken
2) Midtstubakken
Nordic combinedHolmenkollen
BiathlonGrønmo
Freestyle skiing1) Wyller Grefsen
SnowboardWyller
Ice hockey 1Stubberud
Ice hockey 2Jordal Amfi
Speed skatingValle Hovin
Figure skating
Short track		Fornebu Arena
CurlingLørenskog
Bobsleigh, luge, skeletonLillehammer Track

Candidate cities comparison

All data come from applicant cities bid books. candidate cities public support data has been updated.

CategoryDetailsAlmatyBeijing
CategoryDetails
Population City1,600,00019,612,368
Population Country17,736,8961,350,695,000
Air Quality ScoreEnvironmental Performance Index 95.9218.81
Public opinion, supportCity85% 88%
Public opinion, supportCountry87% 92%
Bid budget Applicant phase4.511.25
Bid budget Candidature phase3018.75
Main airport
NameAlmaty InternationalBeijing Capital and Daxing
Main airport
Distance 9.425/46
Main airport
Capacity per hour1600 / 40009900 / -
Longest distance
km47257
Longest distance
min55178
Accommodation
Existing36,573109,940
Accommodation
Planned7,5975,718
Accommodation
Additional13,503-
Accommodation
Total57,673115,658
Proposed sport venues
Existing 74
Proposed sport venues
Existing 13
Proposed sport venues
Planned 3-
Proposed sport venues
Additional 26

Withdrawn candidate city


CategoryDetailsOslo
CategoryDetails
Population City634,463
Population Country5,136,700
Air Quality ScoreEnvironmental Performance Index 98.33
Public opinion, supportCity41%
Public opinion, supportCountry35%
Bid budget Applicant phase27
Bid budget Candidature phase25

Main airport
NameOslo-Gardermoen

Main airport
Distance 50

Main airport
Capacity per hour4200 / 5300
Longest distance
km228
Longest distance
min165

Accommodation
Existing23,474

Accommodation
Planned142

Accommodation
Additional1,000

Accommodation
Total24,616
Proposed sport venues
Existing 1
Proposed sport venues
Existing 7
Proposed sport venues
Planned -
Proposed sport venues
Additional 5

Evaluation of the applicant cities

Each cell of the table provides a minimum and a maximum figure obtained by the applicant city on the specific criteria. These figures are to be compared to a benchmark which has been set at 6.

Candidate cities overview

On 15 November 2013, the IOC announced the list of the six applicant cities. On 7 July 2014, the IOC announced that there were three remaining applicant cities that would move on to the candidate phase; these were Almaty, Beijing and Oslo.
On 1 October 2014, Oslo withdrew its application after one of the country's governing political parties Høyre decided not to support the application. The remaining two candidate cities were therefore Almaty and Beijing.
Both of the candidate cities suggested hosting the Games between February 4–20, 2022. The Paralympics will be held from March 4–13. While another city suggested hosting the Games between February 11–27, 2022. The Paralympics will be held from March 11–20.

Almaty

Since 2011, the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been considering a bid for the 2022 games in Almaty, the former longtime capital city and still the largest city and financial centre of the country. Kazakhstan hosted the 2011 Asian Winter Games. Almaty will host 2017 Winter Universiade. The current Kazakh capital Astana considered to joint bid with Almaty but the idea was later declined. On 17 August 2013, Almaty announced they were bidding for the 2022 Games. Under the slogan "Keeping it Real", Almaty has emphasized her traditional winter setting with tall mountains and plenty of natural snow coverage as well as compactness — most venues are within half an hour's travel through Alpine scenery.
Presenting Kazakhstan's bid at the final event in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov made a powerful speech with a key message that Almaty was "not a risk choice for 2022", but "a golden opportunity to prove that smaller advancing nations can successfully host the winter games". He called to the OCI core values saying that letting Almaty host the Games was "a golden opportunity to showcase the real long-term power of Olympic legacy for a region that has never hosted the Games".
In the final voting Almaty lost to Beijing by only 4 votes.

Beijing

On 5 November 2013, the Chinese Olympic Committee announced that it would submit a bid for Beijing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing, was the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Zhangjiakou would host the outdoor snow events.
Before the final voting in Kuala Lumpur Beijing's bid was presented by Yang Lan, a renowned former CCTV host, who said sports and fitness were becoming a new fashion trend in China. In her speech she focused on China's economy and its ability to support every commitment it made "protecting long time financial viability and the reputation of the Games".

Oslo

On 6 November 2013, the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports announced that Oslo would be submitted as the Norwegian candidate for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Oslo last hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics, and Norway last hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. On 1 October 2014 the Conservative Party decided that they would not support a bid for the games citing costs and lack of public support. A vast number of polls were conducted, and since April 2014 support had varied between 24% and 37%. The days leading up to the deliberation in the Conservative Party had consisted of a series of negative developments for the bid. Those negative developments included the Centre Party saying no through a grass root vote, a poll showing that even within the Norwegian Confederation of Sports the majority of members opposed the bid, an external revision which clarified that the newly suggested cheaper budget was unrealistic and public scrutiny on IOC´s 7000 pages of demands.
Norway rejected the olympic committee's application for government funding to hold the event in Norway after the private organisation IOC made a large number of demands which caused a scandal in Norway. The demands notably included "diva-like demands for luxury treatment" for the IOC members themselves, such as special lanes on all roads only to be used by IOC members and a cocktail reception at the Royal Palace with drinks paid for by the royal family. Several commentators pointed out that such demands were unheard of in a western democracy; Slate described the IOC as a "notoriously ridiculous organization run by grifters and hereditary aristocrats."

Applicant cities overview

On 7 November 2013, the Polish Olympic Committee announced they submitted a bid to the IOC for the 2022 Winter Olympics, together with Zakopane, Poland, and Jasná, a village in central Slovakia, near the Polish border. If the bid had been successful, it would have been the first time either Poland or Slovakia hosted the Olympics. Zakopane previously bid to host the 2006 Winter Olympics but failed to become a candidate. Kraków's bid was submitted to a local referendum held on 25 May 2014, which had a negative result. After that Kraków discontinued the application on 26 May 2014.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine officially submitted a bid for Lviv to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games on 5 November 2013. On 30 June 2014, however, the IOC announced that Lviv would "turn its attention to an Olympic bid for 2026, and not continue with its application for 2022. The decision comes as a result of the 2013–15 Ukrainian crisis" which seriously influences Lviv and the country.
On 11 November 2013, the Swedish Olympic Committee announced that it had submitted a bid, but on 17 January 2014, Stockholm dropped the bid due to lack of political support. Åre, about from Stockholm, was scheduled to host the alpine skiing events. Stockholm previously hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics and hosted equestrian events of the 1956 Summer Olympics, but this was the first time the Swedish capital was bidding for the Winter Olympics. Also, it would have been the first city to host both the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, but that honour went to Beijing.

Voting results for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics

Beijing was selected as host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics after beating Almaty by just four votes. Beijing received one more vote than the 43 needed for majority.

Previously interested in bidding