The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, is a winter
multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, between 9–25
February 2018.
The elected host city was announced on 6 July 2011 by the International Olympic Committee,
after the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa.
Other candidates that applied to host the games were Annecy, France and Munich, Germany.
Pyeongchang won on its third consecutive bid, having lost previously to Vancouver in Canada
and Sochi in Russia.
It will be the first Winter Olympic Games and second Olympic Games in South Korea; the
1988 Summer Olympics were held in Seoul.
Pyeongchang will also be the first Asian city outside of Japan to host the winter games.
Bidding
Pyeongchang launched bids to host both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
However, despite winning in the first rounds of voting in both of their bids, Pyeongchang
would ultimately lose in the final rounds by three and four votes respectively.
It finally won in its bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, in the first round of voting.
They received 63 of the 95 votes cast, giving them the required majority to be elected as
host city.
Munich also launched a bid to host.
Had Munich been chosen, they would have been the first city to stage both the Winter and
Summer Games.
Munich previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Annecy launched a bid but failed to secure public support from local citizens.
Their bid ultimately just received seven votes.
Preparations On 5 August 2011, the International Olympic
Committee announced the formation of the Pyeongchang 2018 Coordination Commission.
On 4 October 2011, it was announced that the Organizing Committee for the 2018 Winter Olympics
will be headed by Kim Jin-sun.
The PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games was
launched at its inaugural assembly on 19 October 2011.
The first tasks of the organizing committee was to put together a master plan for the
games as well as forming a design for the venues.
The IOC Coordination Commission for the 2018 Winter Olympics made their first visit to
Pyeongchang in March 2012.
By then, construction was already underway on the Olympic Village.
In June 2012, construction began on a high-speed rail line that will connect Pyeongchang to
Seoul.
The International Paralympic Committee met with the Pyeongchang 2018 organizing committee
for an orientation in July 2012.
Then-IOC President Jacques Rogge visited Pyeongchang for the first time in February 2013.
The 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Pyeongchang.
Venues
Alpensia cluster The Alpensia Resort in Daegwallyeong-myeon
will be the focus of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Olympic Park of Hoenggye – Ceremonies Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium – Ski jumping,
Nordic combined Alpensia Biathlon Centre – Biathlon
Alpensia Nordic Centre – Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined
Alpensia Sliding Centre – Luge, Bobsleigh, and Skeleton
Olympic Village Yongpyong Resort – Alpine Skiing
Coastal cluster The coastal cluster is located in the city
of Gangneung Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink – Curling
Union Hockey Centre – Ice Hockey Gangneung Sports Complex Speed Skating facility
- Speed skating Gyeongpo Ice Hall – Short track speed skating
and Figure skating Kwandong University Arena - Ice Hockey
Stand-alone venues Bokwang Phoenix Park – Freestyle skiing
and Snowboard Jungbong – Alpine skiing
Sports 15 winter sport disciplines, organized as
7 Olympic sports, are scheduled in the 2018 Winter Olympics program.
The 3 skating sports are figure skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating.
The 6 skiing sports are alpine, cross-country skiing, freestyle, Nordic combined, ski jumping
and snowboarding.
The 2 bobsleigh sports are bobsleigh and skeleton.
The other 4 sports are biathlon, curling, ice hockey, and luge.
Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sports discipline.
Calendar All dates are KST
Schedule does not yet include:Figure skating team event
Women's ski jumping Mixed relay biathlon
Ski half-pipe Team relay luge
Broadcasting rights Australia – Seven Network
France – France Télévisions Japan – Japan Consortium
North Korea – SBS South Korea – SBS
United Kingdom – BBC United States – NBC
See also
2018 Summer Youth Olympics Samcheok
Notes and references
External links Pyeongchang 2018 web site
Pyeongchang 2018