IOC pressured Utah officials to help drop doping probe in exchange for 2034 Winter Games

Finding out which cities will host future Olympic Games is usually an exciting and somewhat conventional event.

But Wednesday's announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was less than conventional behind the scenes.

According to the Associated Press' Graham Dunbar, despite Salt Lake City being the only applicant for the 2034 Winter Games, IOC officials shockingly pushed Utah organizers to help end the FBI investigation into an alleged doping coverup or risk losing host city rights.

According to AFP (h/t Yahoo Sports), U.S. antidoping chief Travis Tygart accused the IOC of threatening to withhold the awarding of the 2034 Winter Games if investigators and lawmakers weren't called off.

John Coates, chairman of the IOC's legal commission, confirmed the host city contract awarding Salt Lake City the Games was altered to include language allowing the IOC to revoke hosting rights if the U.S. did not bow to the "supreme authority" of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The U.S Department of Justice's investigation (reported on July 4) is in response to Congressional and athlete pressure to hold WADA accountable for its handling of the 2021 controversy surrounding 23 Chinese swimmers.

Those swimmers tested positive for banned substances but were ultimately cleared and allowed to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. An investigator brought in by WADA cleared the agency of any wrongdoing on July 9.

But despite those findings, U.S. officials and athletes are still skeptical heading into the Paris Games, which officially begin Friday.

It is unclear if the DOJ will actually drop its investigation following the conditions set out by the IOC.

Hearing Utah officials reportedly gave in to the IOC's demands was surprising and could set a dangerous precedent for any country looking to host future Games.