Olympics & Paralympics

Sapporo to Announce Suspension of Winter Olympics Bid

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Olympic rings are seen in Sapporo Odori Park in Sapporo in November.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:46 JST, December 13, 2023

Sapporo intends to officially announce on Tuesday it will suspend its bid to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, it has been learned.

To keep the possibility of hosting a future Winter Games open, the city will likely avoid such phrasing as “withdrawing” and “resetting.” A formal announcement is expected to take place during a meeting on Tuesday.

Now that winning a bid to host the Olympics by 2038 appears unlikely, Sapporo has determined that it is difficult to continue bidding for a 2042 Winter Games or later, according to multiple sources.

However, with its abundant natural snow, the city still has the potential of being considered a host city.

Sapporo abandoned its bid in October for the 2030 Games as a result of various factors, including the loss of public support following the scandals surrounding the Tokyo Olympics.