Canada's Olympic Skiing/Snowboarding Memories

Olympic Winter Games cancelled due to World War II

Sapporo, Japan selected to host the 1940 Olympic Winter Games, was forced to forfeit its involvement by a decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July 1938 following Japan's invasion of China in 1937. Chosen as an alternate venue, St Moritz, Switzerland also lost its bid following a dispute with the IOC over the eligibility of ski instructors to compete in the Games.

Although Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which had staged the Games less than four years earlier, declared its willingness to host the Games again, the situation resolved itself when the IOC cancelled the Winter Games following Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 which prompted the outbreak of World War II. As the War continued, the IOC also cancelled the 1944 Winter Games originally awarded to Cortina d'Ampezzo in northern Italy.