It is now reduced to three applicants, all Europeans. But the battle for the Winter Games in 2030 is gaining momentum. Less than a month before the announcement by the IOC Executive Board of the city(ies) invited to continue the race in the targeted dialogue phase, it was more than time.

Switzerland has unveiled its concept, a national-scale project, with competition sites sprinkled across all of the linguistic regions of the Confederation. “ The All-Switzerland Games ».

France has also completed a system where, explained to FrancsJeux David Lappartient, president of the national Olympic committee (CNOSF), “ the sharing of sites is very balanced between the two regions”, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA). The French also revealed the results of the two surveys carried out among the populations concerned. They look good: 81% support in the AURA region, 73% in PACA.

Sweden ? She seemed to drag along the way. But the Swedes are also moving forward. More pragmatic than juggernauts, they lay out the pieces of their case one by one.

Four weeks before a supposedly decisive meeting of the IOC Executive Board (November 29 to December 1 in Paris), three Swedish municipalities have concluded an agreement with the bid committee to support the project and, above all, commit to receiving tests.

Falun City Council signed a guarantee ensuring that its facilities, including the jumping hill, would be used for Nordic skiing competitions at the 2030 Winter Games. Two other winter sports strongholds, Åre and Östersund, had already initialed the same document.

The resort of Åre, associated with Stockholm in the candidacy file for the Winter Games in 2026, would host alpine skiing. Östersund would serve as the setting for the biathlon events. The capital, Stockholm, would receive ice hockey and skating. Unlike its French and Swiss rivals, Sweden would look abroad for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions. The file proposes to use the Sigulda sliding track, in Latvia.

Comment from Hans von Uthmann, President of the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK): “ We enjoy broad political support in the municipalities concerned. We all share the belief that we can deliver the most sustainable Games of all time. »

The message is clear: the 2030 Winter Games will be sustainable. The French, Swedes and Swiss have embraced the same priority head-on, to the point of making it their campaign slogan. The three teams repeat it in unison, without fear of speaking the same language.

With three candidates from the same continent, all late in the battle, displaying a common taste for sustainability and a rejection of new construction, the race for the Winter Games is sorely lacking in contrast. She is even more uncertain.