Lyons admitted that the USOPC had "not had any significant active discussions" over a bid for the Games in nine years’ time due to the delayed Olympic Games, which opened here last night. 

But Lyons said she was hopeful of holding talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), claiming members were "very well aware of our readiness and desire" to staging the 2030 edition of the Games.

"What I can tell you is that right now the IOC is a little bit focused on what is going to happen in the next three weeks," said Lyons.

"We have not any significant active discussion about winter bids beyond the next Games however we are poised and ready.

"Salt Lake City is so excited an so supportive of the notion of having the Winter Games return to the US and we will probably be having some conversations as we are able to run across in a socially distanced way to our various counterparts at the IOC.

"They are very well aware of our readiness and desire to bid.

"I think it is somewhat their call to think about what other countries are interested and when they want us to bid and if they want us to bid.

"But we are prepared and ready.

"We think Salt Lake City will be an outstanding candidate for the Winter Games."

Salt Lake City last staged the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2002 and looks set to bid for the Games for a sixth time.

The city bid unsuccessfully to host the Games in 1932, 1972, 1976 and 1998 before being awarded the 2002 edition, a bid process marred by the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the IOC. 

Sapporo in Japan, the frontrunner to stage the 2030 Games before the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Tokyo 2020 back to this year, and Pyrenees-Barcelona in Spain are the other cities in talks with the IOC to host a future Winter Olympics.

Québec City could also join the process, which sees interested cities enter discussions with the IOC's Future Winter Host Commission.

The IOC has not set a timeline for when it will award the 2030 Games.

Last month, it was announced that former speed skater Catherine Raney Norman has been appointed chairperson of the Committee overseeing a potential bid from Salt Lake City for the 2030 or 2034 Winter Olympic Games.

Norman, who represented the US at four Winter Olympics, was chosen to lead the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games at its latest meeting this week.

Alpine skiing star Lindsey Vonn is among the other athletes selected to serve on the Committee's Board.