Switzerland, which has not hosted the Olympics since St Moritz in 1948, is set to bid for 2022 if Pyeongchang in South Korea is awarded the 2018 Games as it is usual International Olympic Committee (IOC) policy not to stage the Olympics in the same continent twice in succession.

The news is expected to be a blow to Annecy and Munich, the two European bidders in the three-horse 2018 race, as there is a strong IOC delegation in Switzerland with the country boasting five members, more than any other country, with a further six based there.

The IOC headquarters are also in Switzerland in Lausanne while the four Italian IOC members and two Spanish IOC members are thought to be leaning towards voting for Pyeongchang so as to not jeopardise Rome's bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics and a seemingly imminent Spanish bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics respectively.

However Grospiron, a Winter Olympic gold medallist from the Albertville 1992 Games, said at a lunch hosted by the Annecy 2018 team: "At this time, we are concerned only with our own bid and how our own preparations are going.

"I have read reports about potential bidders for the 2022 Olympics but I know that nothing is confirmed yet and it is not something we are worried about.

"We believe we have a fantastic bid and our main goal is to serve Olympicism and show the IOC that we can do that very well."

Annecy's 2018 bid was originally criticised by the IOC for not being compact enough, but Grospiron said his team was very grateful for the IOC's constructive comments as they now have a vastly improved plan in place.

He said: "Following the IOC comments, we have a new site plan which based around the two main clusters of Annecy and Chamonix.

"The two are less than an hour apart with a direct link by motorway and the Olympic Train.

"All the events will take place within a 33-kilometre radius and will be easily accessible from countries around the world from Geneva airport which is just 25 minutes away.

"We also have 88 per cent of people behind the bid, which we are very proud about, and we are looking to create the mountain of the 21st century which will see two indoor centres of excellence based in the area.

"We have some great ideas, like our Opening and Closing Ceremonies which will look across the lake and at the mountains.

"We liked that idea for our ceremonies which we saw worked very well at the Singapore Youth Olympics this year when they had their Opening and Closing Ceremonies overlooking the water.

"We already host a large number of world class events in the area so we have a lot of expertise and, at the foot of the world famous Alps, we feel the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Annecy will bring back the original spirit of the Winter Games at the birthplace of winter sports."

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