The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday said it was disappointed by the referendum defeat of Innsbruck's plan to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, with some in the movement saying another dual Games award could be on the cards. The IOC has been struggling in recent years to convince potential hosts of the benefits of hosting the Games and about a dozen cities have pulled out of bidding for the 2022, 2024 and 2026 Olympics. In an effort to secure the long-term future of the Games the IOC in September awarded the 2024 and the 2028 Summer Olympics to Paris and Los Angeles after they were the only remaining bidders. "The IOC would have liked to continue its preliminary exploratory talks with Innsbruck," an IOC spokesman said. "The IOC shares the disappointment for the Austrian Olympic Committee, the many supporting athletes and the promoters of the project who worked on it with so much energy and commitment. "This would have been a solid foundation to develop an excellent candidature for sustainable Olympic winter Games." The Austrian Alpine city, venue of the 1964 and the 1976 Winter Games as well as the 2012 winter youth Olympics, saw its 2026 plans derailed on Sunday when 53 percent of voters in a local referendum voted against the planned candidacy. "The IOC will continue its exploratory talks with interested NOCs and cities from America, Asia and Europe within the framework of its new candidature process," the IOC official said. "We are certain that an excellent host city for the Olympic Winter Games 2026 will emerge from this process." Bids from Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Japan, Canada and the United States are still likely for 2026 with the candidacy process to start in 2018 and a decision to be taken in 2019. However, the Austrian refusal is a further slap in the face for the IOC's Agenda 2020, a set of reforms introduced in 2014 and aimed, among other things, at reducing the size and cost of the Games to make them more attractive to potential hosts. It has so far failed to deliver on that front with four cities pulling out of the 2022 campaign and two more bids killed off at referendum stage. Four cities stopped their bids in mid-race for 2024 before Innsbruck's refusal for 2026. "Auf Wiedersehen Innsbruck and Austria," IOC member Richard Peterkin posted on Twitter. "Another Olympic bid falls by the wayside following a referendum rejection. Not even close. Disruptive. "It's a setback for the Olympic Games. Not insurmountable, and somewhat understandable, but new initiatives and responses issues affecting public unease and displeasure with sports organizations need urgent closure." The outspoken Peterkin, who has repeatedly urged the IOC to take stronger action against the flagging interest in the Games, said a dual awarding such as that for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics was an option, even if it was supposed to have been a one-off. "Dual award now looking possible for 2026 if two strong bids remain in the running," he added. "It worked once, and could work again. Horses for courses in these troubled times." The United States Olympic Committee last week said they would want to be in the running again in case of a dual awarding.
