Olympic Notes: Possible Innsbruck Bid For 2026 Games Backed By Austrian Government

A possible bid from Innsbruck, Austria, for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games has been "backed by the Austrian Government." The city previously staged the Olympic Games in '64 and '76. A feasibility study, to assess the prospects of an Austrian bid, was completed last month and the results "look to have been positive" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 6/8).

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee decided on Thursday to begin the process for naming a candidate for IOC membership. Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Kun-hee has been an IOC member since '96. But he has been hospitalized since May '14 and "remains unable to function in any IOC capacity." Former Olympic table tennis Gold Medalist Ryu Seung-min is the only active IOC member from South Korea, as he was elected to the IOC's Athletes Commission last year (KOREA HERALD, 6/8).