Renaud Muselier is furious. The president of the Sud region has been working for three years to bring the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games back to France. He secured them for 2024, based on the principle of an equitable sharing of events between his region and the neighboring Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. But his project has gradually crumbled in recent weeks, culminating in the COJOP's verdict on Friday evening: Nice will not host the ice sports centerThis strategic decision leaves the southern region with only the Briançon area to host the 2030 Games. He spoke at length to the press on Monday to discuss what he considers a heartbreaking loss. The tone was set from the outset with the press invitation, titled "Nice loses the Games: anatomy and consequences of a rout."
"You can't redraw the Olympic map against the rules of the IOC."
« It may seem paradoxical, but I am extremely positive and confident about the 2030 Winter Olympics. " he began his speech. For twenty minutes, he insisted on recall the facts ", going back over the chronology of the project, which stemmed from his conviction that " The Southern Alps finally deserved to host the Winter Games "An opportunity for the region to accelerate its development, opening-up, and mobility projects, and to boost its attractiveness." History will remember that while it took us five years to build this case, Mr. Ciotti destroyed it in two months. " he said, bitter to see the balance between the two host regions shattered like this." Regarding the medal distribution, we had 52 medals. We will have 33 at the Briançon training center, so we lose 19 with Nice. »
« No one abandoned Nice out of comfort or punishment. No one. Since the election of the new mayor, the technical teams have tried everything, absolutely everything. " he asserts, adding that these meetings were held without any elected officials, without any cabinet members Twenty meetings took place in two months. To save Nice, work continued until May 29th. All hypotheses were examined, but none proved satisfactory. It was no longer possible to hold the ice skating events in Nice. Despite what some may have suggested, you can't redraw the Olympic map against the rules of the IOC and international federations. You can't crave the spotlight of the Games and then be surprised by the rules that make them possible. What has just happened is a colossal waste. »
The thorny issue of the region's financial contribution
With Mayor Eric Ciotti's refusal to temporarily renovate the Allianz Riviera and the lack of a credible alternative, 75 ice hockey matches, 150 curling events, 16 figure skating sessions, and 9 short-track speed skating events are lost. The withdrawal of the ice skating hub could deprive Nice and the region of an overall economic impact estimated between 800 million and 1,1 billion euros. Nice will not have an Olympic multi-sports complex, Essential equipment for a city that already achieves great things in ice sports, with champions like Adam Siao Him Fa and a hockey team in the Magnus League " Muselier emphasizes. Nice was meant to be the urban heart of the Games. The heart of the people, the heart of the media. The disappointment is immense because Olympic history never repeats itself. My regrets are profound. »
The ice rink management team should therefore be relocated to Lyon. The proposals submitted by Marseille, Gap, and Grenoble were reviewed, but none met the criteria. A decision had to be made between Paris and Lyon, and… It was quickly resolved. The president of the South region is now focusing on the Briançon area, with Serre Chevalier and Montgenèvre as competition venues, and the Fort des Têtes in Briançon as the village. A call for tenders is currently underway for the renovation of the Fort, People responded and we're within the budget. " Muselier explains.
He hasn't given up hope of keeping the closing ceremony in his region, but the situation is complex. I'm not sure we'll find the solutions " he confided, referring to the criteria of capacity, costs, and revenue. Another topic will quickly be raised: the financial contribution of the South region. Commitments have been made; I don't know if they're being called into question. That's the next step. It's a related issue we're working on. (...) The allocation formula has changed. I'm not withdrawing from the North; I simply want us to look at this seriously. "While implying that it would be difficult to contribute to the extent that was planned."
