IOC recommends hosts for 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics

The first Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in France

The International Olympic Committee's executive board has recommended France and the USA to host the Winter Olympics in 2030 and 2034 respectively.

A vote to approve the bids will take place at the Olympic body's session in Paris on 24 July.

The French Alps has been put forward for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, with Salt Lake City in Utah in line to host the 2034 edition.

“The future host commission is confident that these two preferred hosts represent a great opportunity for successful and sustainable Olympic Winter Games," Karl Stoss, who heads the IOC's future host commission, said.

The French bid, which proposes the regions of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, still needs to deliver some guarantees prior to next month's vote because of the country's uncertain political situation.

On Sunday, France's president Emmanuel Macron called snap parliamentary elections, with two rounds of voting set to be completed by 7 July.

The IOC is seeking a "Games delivery guarantee" from the French government.

It also requested "confirmation of a public partnership contribution to the Games organisation budget from the two regions of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur and the French government".

Stoss added: "We are very confident that both guarantees will come earlier than the IOC session."

Salt Lake City was initially set to bid for the 2030 Games but pulled out of the running because the date was considered too close to the 2028 summer Olympics in Los Angeles in California.

If successful it would be the fifth time that the USA has hosted the Winter Olympics and the second time that Salt Lake City has held the games - also doing so in 2002.