The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board last week unveiled plans to change the candidature process for the 2026 Winter Olympics and all other editions of the event going forward.

IOC President Thomas Bach promised they would be more "proactive" in supporting cities considering bidding and proposed reducing the candidature period from two years to one.

The IOC will "customise" its approach to the needs of the cities "in order to develop together the best value proposition for the cities and the Games".

IOC members will play  an "increased role from the beginning", Bach revealed.

Only two cities - Almaty and Beijing - bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics following withdrawals from Stockholm, Lviv, Kraków and Oslo.

Bach had previously voiced support for actively approaching possible bidders for the Olympics rather than continuing with the current candidature process.

The German has also said he felt there were currently "too many losers".

The proposed alterations are now due to be discussed at the Extraordinary IOC Session in Lausanne on July 11 and 12, where the membership are expected to ratify a plan to award the 2024 and 2028 editions of the Summer Games together to Los Angeles and Paris this year.

"I think we have got to look to the future," Caithness, a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for Beijing 2022, told insidethegames here.

"For the Summer Games it is a great opportunity when they have two amazing cities bidding and we await the outcome."

Caithness, WCF President since 2010, also claimed she was optimistic about how the race for the 2026 Olympics was shaping up.

The Austrian Government backed a possible bid from Innsbruck last week.

Sion was confirmed as the Swiss candidate in April.

Calgary in Canada, Almaty in Kazakhstan and Sapporo in Japan are other possible contenders.

Stockholm's mooted effort appears to now be officially dead, though, after Mayor Karin Wanngård maintained there is no chance of the Swedish capital pressing ahead.

The Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) had claimed that they believe they can persuade politicians in the city to change their mind and back their campaign.

Wanngård announced her opposition to the bid going ahead in April due to a lack of political support, as well as a lack of clarity over finances.

"Of course it is encouraging," Caithness said of the current potential bidders for 2026.

"The Winter Olympics are great – there are only seven sports but there are many, many events.

"Winter sports now, at least on the ice side, can take place anywhere but obviously from the snow sports perspective the venue is very important."