TOKYO (AFP) – International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials yesterday began inspecting competition venues in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo, seen as a frontrunner to host the 2030 Winter Games.
On their three-day visit the IOC delegation will also look at road access in and around Sapporo, the first Asian city to host a Winter Olympics in 1972.
A city official told AFP that the visit is “part of our continued dialogue” with the IOC and that “we also hope to receive technical advice” from the organisation.
The three-member team plans to visit 16 venues in the Hokkaido region, of which Sapporo is the capital.
Sapporo hosted the marathon and race walk events at Tokyo’s Summer Games last year so that athletes could compete in a cooler climate.
The IOC is expected to announce the host city at its general meeting in a year.
