The Italian city of Turin has been chosen to host the 2006 Winter Olympics. The decision was made at a meeting of the International Olympic in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Turin was chosen instead of the Swiss resort of Sion, which had been the favourite to win.
Members of the committee had been banned from visiting both cities after the corruption scandal that followed the choice of Salt Lake City to stage the 2002 winter games. The rejection of Sion is seen as a backlash against a Swiss sports administrator, Marc Hodler, whose exposure of the corruption led to the expulsion or resignation of ten of his fellow members of the IOC.
