The International Olympic Committee’s executive board has approved Thialf in Heerenveen as the venue for the speed skating events at the 2030 Winter Olympics, pending confirmation from the French organizing committee.
According to NOS Schaatsen, the IOC announced the approval on Monday. However, the decision is not yet final as the French organizing committee is set to meet next Monday to review and confirm the Olympic locations. If they agree, it will mark the return of Olympic competitions to the Netherlands for the first time since the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
Discussions regarding Thialf as the Olympic speed skating site have been ongoing for several years. Last month it became clear that the French organizers were only negotiating with the Netherlands, excluding Turin, Italy, as a candidate. France lacks a 400-meter speed skating track within its own territory, prompting the search for an alternative location in late 2023. Thialf was immediately considered despite being located more than 800 kilometers from the French Alps, where the main Olympic events will take place.
Representatives from the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF), Thialf, and various Dutch governmental bodies have been engaged in talks with the French organizers for over two years. Multiple visits to the facility and extensive consultations about its capabilities have accelerated the negotiations this spring. If the French committee grants formal approval next week, the arrangements surrounding Thialf’s role will be finalized. The Dutch parties involved plan to provide further details only after a formal agreement is announced.
