The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions wish to submit a joint bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2030, with the ambition of taking environmental issues into account. The two regions, on which the Alps are located, and the French Olympic and Paralympic sports committees “have come together to consider” this candidacy, it is explained in a press release published on Tuesday.
“Joint work, involving all the relevant state services, will be carried out in the coming weeks”, they specify, with a decision expected in mid-September. “Our conviction is that (with) a duel of two French candidates, nothing would have been good”, explained to Agence France-Presse (AFP) the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region Laurent Wauquiez. The approach is part of a reflection on the Winter Games, taking into account the “essential changes desired” by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
This concerns in particular “taking into account the issues related to the preservation of biodiversity and the acceleration of global warming”, “the need to use existing infrastructures, some of which are from the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992”, or still “the essential reduction of organizational costs” and funding “essentially through private revenue (partners, ticketing, etc.)”.
“Our goal is to come to embody this turning point in the spirit of Olympism. We want to be able to hold the first sustainable Winter Olympics. Anchored in the territories, which turn the page on gigantism, “explained Laurent Wauquiez. “We can propose a new carbon-neutral model of the Winter Olympics from 2030,” assured the president of the Paca region Renaud Muselier, quoted in the press release.
Muselier and Wauquiez will take part in a lunch at the Élysée devoted to the Games on Wednesday, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera, Mr. Lappartient and the President of the CPSF (French Paralympic and Sports Committee) Marie-Amélie Le Fur, the president of the Paca region told the press.
“We have a real window of opportunity because the IOC is waiting for a candidacy that corresponds to this new spirit that they want to instill in Olympism”, enthused Laurent Wauquiez. Other cities have expressed their interest in organizing these Olympics.
Unhappy candidate against Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Sweden entered the second phase of the candidacy process in June and is the favorite. This flagship nation of Nordic skiing has never organized the Winter Olympics.
Salt Lake City, a candidate known for several years and already host in 2002, is also in the running: but because of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, the Mormon capital now prefers 2034, while remaining available for 2030. The city Japanese Sapporo, a time favorite, put its candidacy on hold at the end of 2022, after a corruption scandal at the recent Tokyo Summer Olympics. Other applications have been withdrawn, such as that of Vancouver or a project bringing together Barcelona and Zaragoza.
France has already hosted the Winter Olympics three times, in Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968 and Albertville in 1992. Paris also organized the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1924, and will host them again next year. ‘next year. The project has received the support of many champions, cited in the press release, such as Martin Fourcade, Alexis Pinturault or Gabriella Papadakis.
“Having the Games at home is a once-in-a-career opportunity. That would be my ultimate dream! All the way to 2030,” commented Arthur Bauchet, three-time Paralympic alpine ski champion.