As global warming and prohibitive costs threaten the long-term future of the Winter Olympics, organizers know they must soften their demands in order to retain a pool of potential hosts for the decades to come.
On the face of it, there's no immediate concern, as the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday selected France ahead of two other contenders — Sweden and Switzerland — to enter into "targeted dialogue" over staging the 2030 Winter Games.
It is a coup for France, which will also host the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.