1944 Winter Olympics

Although the 1940 Olympic Winter Games were not held, the 5th Olympic Winter Games were scheduled for 1944 and were awarded to Cortina d’Ampezzo, which was chosen over Montréal, Québec, Canada; and Oslo, Norway at the 39th IOC Session in London on 9 June 1939. The 1940 Winter Games were cancelled only a few months later, in November 1939. At that time the IOC President, Henri de Baillet-Latour, noted that the fate of the 1944 Olympics and Winter Olympics was uncertain. Letters to Avery Brundage, US IOC Member and later IOC President, in mid-1943, noted that even if the war were to end, the 1944 Games could not be held. The exact date on which the 1944 Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games were cancelled is not precisely known, but the Games were eventually not celebrated because of World War II.

Bid voting at the 39th IOC Session in London on 9 June 1939. The Games were never celebrated because of World War II.