A statement published today on the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOL) website revealed that the bid will be officially launched on November 7.

Earlier, the Slovakian Government had formally approved the bid and pledged to contribute €481,000 (£407,000/$649,000) towards the campaign. 

Slovakia had made the decision to back the bid at a joint session of a Polish-Slovak Committee commissioned to draw up the bid in Demanovska Dolin in August.

The two European countries share a border straddled by the High Tatras mountains, a favourite winter holiday destination for locals and tourists from Russia, Ukraine and Hungary.

The main obstacle to a successful joint bid from Slovakia and Poland could be the disapproval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who have never previously sanctioned such a proposal.

But the Olympic Charter does allow it, under Rule 35.2 which says: "For the Olympic Winter Games, when for geographical or topographical reasons it is impossible to organise certain events or disciplines of a sport in the country of the host city, the IOC may, on an exceptional basis, authorise the holding of them in a bordering country."

The High Tatras mountains, which borders Poland and Slovakia, will play a big role in the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics

Under the plan, the former royal capital of Krakow in southern Poland would host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games.

Krakow would also host the majority of the events played on ice, while Zakopane, Poland's winter capital, would handle snowboarding, cross country skiing and the biathlon.

The Slovaks are keen on hosting ice hockey and skiing events.

So far the only confirmed bidder for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics is Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city.

But Lviv is expected to formally declare next Tuesday (November 5) once it has the approval of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine General Assembly while Oslo and Munich are also likely candidates ahead of the IOC deadline on November 14.

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