Cyprus at the 2002 Winter Olympics Cyprus at the 2002 Winter Olympics Cyprus sent a delegation to compete at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States from 8–24 February 2002. This was Cyprus' seventh consecutive appearance at a Winter Olympic Games after their debut at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The delegation consisted of one athlete, Theodoros Christodoulou, an alpine skier. He finished 54th in the giant slalom and failed to complete the slalom. The Cyprus Olympic Committee was first recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1978, and the nation has participated in every Summer Olympics and Winter Olympic Games since their debut
2002 Winter Olympic bid scandal the International Olympic Committee Members and International Sport organizations. Despite their efforts, the 1998 Games went to Nagano, Japan, in a 46-to-42 vote. Many felt the reason was that the US had recently been awarded the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Others, including Welch, believed it was because Nagano had better wined and dined the officials. A Salt Lake Olympic Bid Committee member complained about competing with the Japanese bid committee for the 1998 Olympic Winter Games: "We were giving out saltwater taffy and cowboy hats, and they were giving out computers. IOC members who came to inspect Nagano