The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.
Pyeongchang is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about 180 km (110 mi) east southeast of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and connected by expressways and high-speed passenger railways. Pyeongchang's slogan, "Happy 700 Pyeongchang", is taken from its average elevation of approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft).
The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as PyeongChang 2018, were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County in the Gangwon Province of South Korea, with the opening rounds for certain events held on 8 February, a day before the opening ceremony.
Three cities made the shortlist with their bids to host the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, which were awarded to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on July 2, 2003. The other shortlisted cities were Pyeongchang and Salzburg. Although Bern was originally shortlisted along with Vancouver, Pyeongchang and Salzburg, a referendum held in September 2002 revealed that a majority of the citizens of Bern did not support pursuing the candidacy. There were four other cities vying for the hosting honour, that had been dropped by the International Olympic Committee: Andorra la Vella, Harbin, Jaca and Sarajevo.
Yongpyong Ski Resort is a ski resort in South Korea, located in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do. It is the largest ski and snowboard resort in Korea, and offers golf in the summer months.
Seven applicant cities presented bids to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC Executive Board shortlisted three cities—Sochi, Russia; Salzburg, Austria; and Pyeongchang, South Korea—with Sochi winning the IOC's July 2007 final vote.
The 2012 Winter Youth Olympics (YOG) was an international youth multi-sport event featuring winter events that was planned to complement the Olympic Games. It will feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18.
Three cities applied with bids to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in October 2009. The International Olympic Committee, under the leadership of Jacques Rogge, received three bids on October 15, 2009. The cities of Annecy, France, in the French Alps, Munich, Germany, and Pyeongchang, South Korea, a two-time previous bidder, competed for the hosting rights to the event. This was the lowest number of bidding cities since the 1988 Summer Olympics, coincidentally also won by South Korea. The winning bid was announced on July 6, 2011, at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa by IOC President Jacques Rogge at 5.22 pm local time Pyeongchang beat Munich and Annecy in the first round of votes with 63 of the 95 total votes.
The 2018 Winter Paralympics, the 12th Paralympic Winter Games, and also more generally known as the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, were an international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), that was held in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, from 9 to 18 March 2018. They were the second Paralympics to be held in South Korea, following the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul.
For the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, a total of fifteen sports venues were used. Nagano had attempted twice to host the Winter Olympics, losing out to Sapporo, host of the 1972 Winter Olympics. The third time, in 1991, Nagano edged out Salt Lake City to host the 1998 Games. The biathlon venue was adjusted in accordance with the Washington Convention over endangered species. The biggest venue controversy was at Happo'one resort on the length of the men's downhill and the battle that ensued to the point where skiing officials threatened to pull the event entirely before a compromise was reached three months before the Olympics. M-Wave has hosted three World Speed Skating Championships since the Olympics, while the Spiral has hosted a couple of world championships in bobsleigh, luge and skeleton.
Sochi 2014 was a successful bid by the Russian Olympic Committee to host the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. Sochi was one of seven applicants for the games, and one of three to be short-listed, along with Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Salzburg, Austria. Sochi is a resort city located on the Black Sea. The bid involved the city itself hosting ice events, while ski events were to be held at the ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana. The bid's advantages include ample hotel rooms and strong public and political support. Sochi also bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics, but failed to make the short-list.
PyeongChang 2018 was the successful bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, to be held in Pyeongchang.
Munich 2018 was an unsuccessful bid by Munich, Germany for the 2018 edition of the Winter Olympic Games.
The Alpensia Resort is a ski resort and a tourist attraction. It is located on the territory of the township of Daegwallyeong-myeon, in the county of Pyeongchang.
Baku 2020 was a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics by the city of Baku and the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. Bids were also placed by Doha, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome and the chosen host city of Tokyo.
Kraków 2022 was a bid by the Polish Olympic Committee to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics in Kraków. On 25 May 2014, the inhabitants of Kraków voted to withdraw the bid in a binding referendum. After that Krakow discontinued the application on 26 May 2014.
The 2030 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXVI Olympic Winter Games, is an upcoming international multi-sport event. It will be organised in a city designated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is expected that the winning bid for the host city will be announced at the 139th IOC Session in Beijing, People's Republic of China, in 2022 or at the 140th IOC Session to be held in Mumbai, India in 2023.
Almaty 2014 was one of the seven original bids for the 2014 Games, presented by the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was the city's first bid for an Olympic Games.
Welli Hilli Park (웰리힐리파크), formerly known as Hyundai Sungwoo Resort is a ski resort in Hoengseong, South Korea. The resort was opened in December 1995 by Sungwoo Group, a family company with Hyundai Group. The resort was acquired by Shinan Group in 2011 and took the current name in 2012.
There were a total of four bids which were initially submitted for the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. On 8 January 2020, the IOC EB agreed to award the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics to the province of Gangwon.
