A few years after the Summer Games in Paris, France will once again host the Olympics. The IOC awards the French Alps the bid for 2030 - albeit with reservations.
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- As expected, the 2030 Winter Olympics will take place in the French Alps.
- The International Olympic Committee awarded the bid subject to the proviso that the French government and authorities provide the outstanding financial and organizational guarantees.
- Switzerland could become host in 2038.
The French Alps will host the 2030 Winter Games, as decided by the International Olympic Committee at its General Assembly before the Summer Games in Paris. However, the IOC gave its approval on the condition that the French government and regional authorities provide the financial and organizational guarantees that have not yet been granted. Only then will the host contract be signed by the IOC.
The choice was already considered a formality before the 142nd IOC Session. France had already been named the preferred candidate in November. In June, the IOC leadership recommended that the General Assembly award the contract. 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 since 2002.
France already has plenty of Olympic experience. The French Alps have hosted the Winter Games in Chamonix (1924), Grenoble (1968) and Albertville (1992). This year, Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics for the third time after 1900 and 1924.
Speed skating competitions possibly abroad in 2030
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 envisages the almost exclusive use of existing competition venues.
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, David Lappartient, head of France's National Olympic Committee, had previously assured: "Even if there is no majority in parliament, there is a strong majority in favor of the Games." IOC President Thomas Bach reiterated: "We would not vote if we did not have this feeling." During the presentation on the IOC stage, Macron once again emphasized that he was behind the bid. "You can trust us, we will be there," said Macron.
Switzerland could host in 2038
The next Winter Games in 2026 will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy. 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 the Swedish project. The last German Winter Games bid was Munich for 2022, but this failed due to opposition from the local population.
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.
SDA
