French Alps officially win 2030 Winter Olympics (with some conditions)
‘We believe in the future of our mountains,’ said President Macron, after the bid was voted through
The Winter Olympics 2030 events will take place in the French Alps and the city of Nice
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The French Alps have been named officially as the host of the 2030 Winter Olympics - in a bid supported by President Macron - just days before Paris is set to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the choice on July 24. However, it does come with some conditions.
Conditional to governmental sign-off
These include the need for it to be signed off by the next prime minister (Gabriel Attal and the government have resigned following the legislative elections although they continue to oversee a ‘caretaker government’). Ultimately, the government that is formed after the summer Games must sign off on all the organisational guarantees as part of the agreement.
The deadline for the signing off has been set as October 1, just over three weeks after the Paralympic Games close on September 8. IOC president Thomas Bach said that in addition, the Assemblée Nationale would need to ratify that document by March 1, 2025.
This is normal for any Games bid; the national government of the host country is required to underwrite and commit to security and financial pledges in order for the project to go ahead.
However, governmental agreement has not been as straightforward as usual in this case, due to the legislative elections in early July, and the lack of a majority government.
Macron: ‘We will respect our commitments’
President Emmanuel Macron helped to present the bid for the French Alps. The IOC passed the decision with a majority of 84 votes in favour, four against, and seven abstaining.
“We would like to thank you for your confidence and trust,” said Mr Macron, after the vote. “We will be there and we will respect our commitments.”
The French Alps bid was the only candidate. The events are set to be spread across ski stations in the Alps (which are spread over the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), and ice sports event venues in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur).
Climate change challenges
Mr Macron conceded that climate change was having a significantly negative impact on snowfall in the area, and said that the Winter Games would help France to ensure the future of skiing.
“We have to invent a new model, a sustainable one, for people living in the mountains,” he said, in English. “We do believe in the future of the Winter Games. We do believe in the future of our mountains.”
Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, also commented on the challenges facing the mountains, but promised that the Winter Games 2030 would be environmentally friendly.
“We are not skiing today as we used to ski in the past. Climate change is a reality, with an impact on the mountains. We want to be optimistic but realistic,” he said, promising Games on a “human scale”.
French Games
France has hosted the Winter Games three times before, including the first ever event, in 1924 in Chamonix (Haute-Savoie). It also hosted the 1968 Winter Games in Grenoble (Isère), and the 1992 event in Albertville (Savoie).
The IOC decision comes just two days before Paris is set to begin the 2024 summer Olympics, with the Opening Ceremony along the River Seine. The Olympics will close on August 11, and will be followed by the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8.
