Friday's vote on 2022 bid a no-win situation for IOC

ByJIM CAPLE
July 30, 2015, 1:22 AM

— -- The initial bids for the 2022 Winter Olympics looked promising.

Oslo, Norway, Stockholm, Sweden, and Krakow, Poland, three of the most enjoyable cities in Europe, put in bids to the International Olympic Committee. Oslo hosted the 1952 Olympics, while Lillehammer was the host of the spectacular 1994 Games, so the possibility of another Winter Olympics in Norway was especially enticing. But the Norwegian capital pulled out of the bidding last year. As did Stockholm. As did Krakow. And as did Lviv, Ukraine, due to the crisis in that country.

And so, this Friday, the International Olympic Committee will decide between the two remaining cities bidding for 2022: Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Beijing. You're excited about seeing the Winter Games in one of those cities, aren't you? For that matter, have you even heard of Almaty?