Ukraine moves forward with 2022 Winter Olympic bid

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Lviv's city council has voted in favor of a proposed bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyy calls it a "great opportunity and a huge responsibility for our city." The bid requires final approval from Ukraine's national Olympic committee, which meets Nov. 5 in Kiev.

Committee President Sergei Bubka says in a statement Monday this is a "national priority project and the whole of Ukraine will join efforts behind our bid."

Other potential candidates include Almaty, Kazakhstan; Munich; Oslo, Norway; and a joint Poland-Slovakia bid.

Lviv is currently at the center of a soccer racism case. FIFA has banned Ukraine from playing qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup at the Lviv stadium because of racist behavior by fans during a match against San Marino on Sept. 6. Ukraine is appealing.

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