Nothing is yet written on paper, but the doubt is removed: the Winter Olympics will take place in snow and ice in 2030 in the French Alps, then four years later in Salt Lake City, Utah . The IOC session will ratify it by a formal vote on July 24 in Paris, on the sidelines of the Summer Games.
In the meantime, the commission for the future host of the Olympic body is visiting the sites of the only two candidates selected for the privileged dialogue phase. It started last week in Utah, for four days of an inspection of the premises punctuated by closed-door presentations and meetings with the media. It will travel next week (April 22 to 26) to the French Alps, between Nice and the Savoyard resorts.
In the United States, the IOC delegation led by Austrian Karl Stoss was amazed, according to comments from its president. To the point of recognizing, when the curtain came down, that the Americans had underestimated the quality of their competition sites in their application file.
Will they be as complimentary at the end of next week in the French Alps? Likely. But before meeting on Monday April 22 in La Clusaz and Grand-Bornand, departure stations for their inspection visit, the experts from Lausanne pointed out two gray areas of the French project.
The first is a classic. It concerns guarantees. The French team was supposed to bring them at the end of March. It did not do it. Clarification: Neither does Salt Lake City.
Embarrassing ? Not really, said Christophe Dubi, the director of the Olympic Games at the IOC, during an online press conference on Monday April 15. “ We have the broad outlines of guarantees, he explained. We know it will be provided, there is no doubt about it. We have received commitments at the various highest levels – there is no problem. It may take a few days longer than expected. »
Christophe Dubi wanted to be reassuring. Guarantees from national, regional and local authorities on the use of sites, security, hosting and marketing rights will be provided in the coming weeks. “ France can rely on a political and administrative system developed for the Paris 2024 Games, which can be transferred to the candidacy of the French Alps and the 2030 Winter Games, he assured.
Another question mark, more visible on the map of sites: the speed skating ice ring. France does not have any. And, the question no longer even arises, it won't build one. The Olympic competitions will take place on a temporary installation, or on an already existing track abroad.
Last November, when the French Alps were designated as the only project selected by the IOC for the privileged dialogue phase, Karl Stoss affirmed that the French should have decided the question before the July session in Paris. Today, this imperative no longer seems relevant.
Christophe Dubi explained it on Monday April 15: “ There is no urgency on this subject. We will have to make the choice when it imposes itself ».
Two options are on the table: a temporary structure – in Nice where the ice events will take place – or a relocation of the discipline to a track abroad. The list of potential rings displays “ neighboring countries », like Italy and Germany, and especially the Netherlands, the major speed skating nation. “ You should never forget the Netherlands when it comes to speed skating », suggested Christophe Dubi. In Heerenveen, the country has, with the Thialf Oval, equipment that meets international standards, with a capacity of 12.500 spectators.
With such an option, the 2030 Winter Games would become the first in history contested in two different countries. Milan-Cortina 2026 could have moved ahead of the French Alps, but the government of Giorgia Meloni ultimately decided to keep all its eggs within its borders.
The visit of the IOC future host commission will take a route from north to south, with a first day in La Clusaz (cross-country skiing) and Grand-Bornand (biathlon), before continuing its inspection of the sites by La Plagne ( bobsleigh), Courchevel (alpine skiing, jumping and combined) and Méribel (alpine skiing). The delegation from Lausanne will then visit Serre-Chevalier (freestyle skiing and snowboarding), Montgenèvre (freestyle skiing and snowboarding), and Briançon (Olympic village), before ending its stay in Nice, where the figure skating, curling, short track and hockey events are planned.
