Vancouver to Host 2010 Olympic Winter Games

Prague - July 2, 2003

The International Olympic Committee has elected Vancouver, Canada as Host City of the XXI Olympic Winter Games in 2010. Vancouver was elected by members of the IOC on the second secret ballot with 56 votes, beating out PyeongChang South Korea (53 votes), and Salzburg, Austria who was eliminated after the first round. PyeongChang received 51 first ballot votes, Vancouver, 40 votes and Salzburg, 16 votes. The announcement was made by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the 115th IOC Session in Prague, Czech Republic.

"It's always a tough competition. We knew that it was to be tight," said Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who was on hand to help Canada's pitch.

Famous Canadian ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky was also in Prague to help Vancouver's bid and credited former Edmonton Oiler teammate Jari Kurri for putting Vancouver over the top. "As Jari Kurri, who is now an IOC member told me, he was the 54th vote," joked Gretzky. "I feel like I'm always feeding him the puck."

Catriona Le May Doan, a great Canadian Olympian, also joined Gretzky in the final Vancouver presentation to IOC members.

Eight cities had applied to host the Games: Andorra la Vella, Andorra - Bern, Switzerland - Harbin, China - Jaca, Spain - PyeongChang, Korea - Salzburg, Austria - Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vancouver, Canada. Following an IOC Executive Board decision in August 2002, the cities of Bern, PyeongChang, Salzburg and Vancouver were officially designated Candidate Cities. However, Bern dropped out of the race following a referendum in September 2002.

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