The journey to become the host city of the Olympic Games is a meticulous and collaborative process, involving close cooperation between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), potential hosts, and their National Olympic Committees (NOCs). With Paris set to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, let’s delve into how cities and regions are chosen to stage this prestigious global event.
The first step for cities aspiring to host the Olympics is to seek official support from their NOCs. Once secured, the NOC acts as the liaison with the IOC, initiating discussions and seeking advice on the proposed Games vision and plan. Should the NOC decide to advance the project, it formally contacts the IOC to enter Continuous Dialogue as an Interested Party.
During this phase, the NOC outlines its proposed project, which may involve one or more cities or regions vying for the honor of hosting the Games. However, each NOC can only endorse one official project for its country. The host election process is overseen by two Future Host Commissions, one each for the Summer and Winter Games.
As the project progresses, the Future Host Commission closely evaluates its feasibility and readiness to advance to the next stage. If deemed suitable, the Commission recommends to the IOC Executive Board (EB) to open a Targeted Dialogue for a specific edition/year of the Olympic Games. At this stage, the Interested Party transitions to a Preferred Host for the Games edition under consideration.
Throughout the Targeted Dialogue, IOC Members have multiple opportunities to familiarize themselves with the project through feasibility reports and presentations by the Preferred Host. Transparency is paramount in the process, with all key documents and the Commission’s report being made public.
Following the conclusion of the Targeted Dialogue, the EB reviews a detailed report and recommendation from the Future Host Commission. Based on this assessment, the EB proposes one or more hosts for election by all IOC members at an IOC Session.
Looking ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympics, the selection of the host city is the culmination of a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring that the chosen host is well-equipped to deliver a memorable and successful Games.
