International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry announced on May 7 the suspension of the host city election for the 2030 Youth Olympic Games, while also outlining the latest developments in Olympic event reforms and esports.
Since taking office last year, Coventry has initiated a series of “Adapting the Future” reforms and established four new working groups focusing on the Youth Olympics, Olympic event programs, women’s event protection, and commercial partnerships and marketing.
Speaking at a press conference after the IOC Executive Board meeting, Coventry explained that the results of a survey sent last month to National Olympic Committees and International Sports Federations regarding the Youth Olympics were not sufficiently clear. The Executive Board unanimously decided to pause the 2030 Youth Olympics host selection process to reflect on the core objectives of hosting the event. She emphasized that the IOC will concentrate on developing a comprehensive Olympic youth strategy to encourage global youth participation in sports. The 2026 Dakar Youth Olympics and the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics in Dolomiti-Valtellina, Italy, will proceed as scheduled.
The Los Angeles Olympics set a record with 36 sports, exceeding the 10,500-athlete limit set by the Olympic Charter. However, regarding event programs, Coventry indicated that the 2032 Brisbane Olympics is not expected to feature as many sports. “The host city contract does not require the delivery of 36 sports,” she said.
Kit McConnell, IOC Sports Director, clarified that the definition of “event” had been ambiguous in the past. Now, it has been clearly defined as one or more disciplines within a sport requiring a dedicated venue. The Olympic Event Program Working Group has adopted “event” as the basic unit for adjusting the scale of Olympic competitions. “Events are closest to the venues, and adding or removing events directly impacts preparation work,” McConnell said. Coventry added that a decision on the 2032 Brisbane Olympic event program will not be made at the full IOC session in June this year. The goal is to finalize it in the fourth quarter of this year or, at the latest, in the first quarter of next year.
On the esports front, after Coventry took office, the IOC announced in October last year the termination of its plan to collaborate with Saudi Arabia on the 2027 Esports Olympics. Coventry noted that esports remains a dynamic sector, but “the key lies in timing.” She stated, “At this stage, the IOC must first focus on the core business of the ‘Adapting the Future’ reforms, while also studying the potential opportunities in esports.”
