LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The Japanese city of Sapporo has dropped its bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics following a recent earthquake.
After meeting with Sapporo representatives, the International Olympic Committee said Monday the city, which became the first in Asia to host the Winter Olympics in 1972, will now focus on a bid for the 2030 Games.
Japanese officials have said 41 people were killed when an earthquake hit Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, where Sapporo is located, on Sept. 6. Even before the earthquake, Sapporo officials had said they might prefer to focus on 2030.
The IOC said in a statement it "expressed its understanding that recovery from the earthquake in the region should be the immediate principle focus but greatly appreciated the continued strong commitment as a future host for the Olympic Winter Games."
Calgary is one of four bids remaining in contention for 2026. Others include Stockholm, Sweden; a three-way Italian bid from Turin, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo; and Erzurum, Turkey.
Sapporo's exit means there is no chance of having three consecutive Winter Olympics in East Asia after this year's games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the upcoming 2022 event in Beijing.
