Decision made:

2030 Winter Games in the French Alps

Emmanuel Macron is delighted

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Five and a half years after the Summer Games in Paris, which begin on Friday, the Olympics will once again be hosted by France. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2030 Winter Games to the French Alps at its General Assembly in Paris on Wednesday. The choice for the 2034 Winter Games fell on Salt Lake City in the US state of Utah, which already hosted the Olympics in 2002.

The votes for the Games in six and ten years' time were already considered a formality before the 142nd IOC Session, with France ultimately receiving 84 votes in favor and four against. However, approval was granted subject to the government and regional authorities granting the financial and organizational guarantees that had not yet been provided. Only then will the hosting contract be signed by the IOC.

France had already been named as the preferred candidate in November. In June, the IOC leadership recommended that the General Assembly award the bid. France has plenty of Olympic experience. The French Alps hosted the Winter Games in Chamonix (1924), Grenoble (1968) and Albertville (1992). This year, Paris is hosting the summer games for the third time after 1900 and 1924.

The 2030 Winter Games are planned for the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions. Several ice competitions are to be held in Nice. The concept provides almost exclusively for the use of existing competition venues.

Political turmoil
Due to the political turmoil in France and the early parliamentary elections, the necessary guarantees from the government and authorities for the Winter Games project have recently been delayed. There is currently only a caretaker government. Head of state Emmanuel Macron does not want to appoint a new prime minister until after the Olympics. No political camp has a majority in the National Assembly following the election just over two weeks ago.

However, in his speech to the IOC General Assembly, Macron expressed his full support for the candidacy. "I confirm the full commitment of the French nation and I assure you that I will ask the next Prime Minister to include not only this guarantee but also an Olympic law in the priorities of the new government," he said. "Seven years ago, we made the same commitment (for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris) and we delivered. We will do the same," Macron emphasized.

David Lappartient, head of France's National Olympic Committee, had also previously assured: "Even if there is no majority in parliament, there is a strong majority in favor of the Games." IOC President Thomas Bach confirmed: "We wouldn't vote if we didn't have this feeling."

Stoss: "A very solid project"
The award was preceded by a final report from ÖOC President Karl Stoss in his role as Chairman of the Future Host Commission, which deals with bids for the Winter Olympics. "French Alps 2030 is a very solid project that benefits from strong public and political support, a proven ability to deliver high-level sporting competitions, excellent venues and the opportunity to benefit from France's knowledge and experience as host of Paris 2024," explained Stoss. "During our visit, the Commission felt that the legacy of Albertville 1992 is still benefiting local communities today," said the ÖOC chief.

ÖOC President Karl Stoss

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Switzerland to be given priority for 2038
The next Winter Games in 2026 will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy, while Salt Lake City was chosen in 2034. The IOC wants Switzerland to be given preferential rights for 2038 if it bids again. In the race with France and the USA, the Swiss bid received an early rejection from the IOC selection commission, as did a Swedish project.

In the long term, the winter spectacle is a problem area for the IOC due to climate change. According to researchers' calculations, only ten countries will still be snow and ice-safe enough to host the Winter Games by 2040. In June, the IOC leadership recommended to the General Assembly that the bid be accepted. For 2034, the umbrella organization wants to award the Winter Games to Salt Lake City in the US state of Utah for the second time after 2002.