YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dropped the Turkish city of Erzurum from a 2026 Winter Olympic bidding contest.

Turkey’s latest sporting rejection on Thursday came one week after it lost out to Germany over the right to stage soccer’s 2024 European Championship. The country had also failed with bids to host Euro 2008, 2012 and 2016.

In addition, Istanbul is a five-time loser in Summer Games bidding, including the 2020 Olympics to be held in Tokyo.

Three 2026 bids will now be proposed for approval, they are: Calgary, Canada; Stockholm, Sweden; and the combined Italian bid of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The 2026 vote is scheduled next September at an IOC meeting