A group of leading Olympic officials recommended Friday that the International Olympic Committee simultaneously select two upcoming Summer Games locations — meaning that both Paris and Los Angeles will likely be designated as host cities in a vote later this year. The action by the IOC’s executive board did not make clear which city will get the 2024 games and which will be awarded the 2028 iteration — a decision that is not expected until September.
The full Olympic committee will convene July 11 and 12 and vote on whether to accept the recommendation to name two consecutive host cities — an unprecedented action that is seen as an acknowledgement of the increasing difficulty of finding cities willing, and able, to host the costly athletic extravaganza. IOC President Thomas Bach said the change was an acknowledgement that the process for selecting host cities had become too costly and difficult. Boston, Budapest and several other cities pulled themselves out of consideration for the 2024 games after facing opposition over the high costs.