No Olympics for U.S. in 2022; USOC says it's too soon

The U.S. Olympic Committee decided Tuesday that it will not pursue the Winter Olympics in 2022. Denver, Lake Tahoe and Bozeman were among the American cities vying for the bid.

The committee decided to instead create a task force to explore either the Summer Olympics in 2024 or the Winter Olympics in 2026.

“Hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the United States is of paramount importance to us,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “We want to submit a bid that is viable and that adds value to the worldwide Olympic Movement. We believe a 2024 or 2026 bid will give us the best chance of achieving those ends, and therefore will not submit a bid to host the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

“We are firmly committed to submitting the most viable candidate city possible and to making a meaningful contribution to the worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Movements,” Blackmun added. “We believe that exploring a bid for the 2024 or 2026 Games will give us the greatest opportunity for success.”

For Colorado, the decision comes despite a unanimous endorsement by Denver’s exploratory committee and 77 percent support among the state’s residents.

Denver’s mayor, Michael Hancock, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper released a joint statement that read: “We are disappointed the world won’t come to Denver for a Winter Games in 2022. But we appreciate the thoughtful approach taken by the U.S. Olympic Committee to bring the Games back to America.”