2024-04-22 11:57:46
After Salt Lake City (Utah, United States), earlier this month, the Future Host Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) begins, this Monday, April 22, 2024, a visit to the French Alps, candidates for the organization of the 2030 Winter Games.
” data-medium-file=” data-large-file=” class=”size-full wp-image-61715″ alt=”” width=”750″ height=”458″ srcset=” 2200w, 300w, 1024w, 768w, 1536w, 2048w, 1200w” sizes=”(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px” data-recalc-dims=”1″/>
Aith the start of the field visit, the opportunity is given to the Future Host Commission to inspect the sites and to meet with the bearers of an application around which several key points remain unresolved, although that the tricolor file is the only one in the running for the 2030 Olympics, in accordance with the entry of the French Alps into the targeted dialogue phase with the IOC occurring in November 2023.
In fact, while Salt Lake City and Utah today tick all the boxes for the 2034 edition – with a most laudatory technical visit orchestrated from April 10 to 13 – the French Alps project must still complete its concept, certainly thought of on the scale of two regional territories, namely Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, but within which the problem of certain sites is to be settled.
Important stumbling block, the question of the integration of Val d’Isère (Savoie) undoubtedly constitutes the most burning subject for the candidates and for the IOC, particularly in light of the mobilization of local elected officials and of the legend of alpine skiing, honorary member of the IOC, Jean-Claude Killy.
Another problem, that of the Speed Ring, does not exist to date.
For the IOC, however, the lack of certainty for this competition site does not seem to be the subject of any particular concern to date. In fact, the Lausanne (Switzerland) institution is perfectly aware that the version of a project presented at the application stage can evolve until preparations are put in place. Above all, the case of Milan-Cortina 2026 now offers new possibilities that other Olympic Cities in the past had undoubtedly not considered.
Also, like the transalpine project, the tricolor file might choose a temporary site arranged in an Exhibition Center for example. The French Alps might, conversely, choose toa site relocated to a neighboring European countrywhether Italy, Switzerland, Germany, or even the Netherlands.
As explained during a recent round table with the media, the IOC Executive Director in charge of the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi:
There are a few potential candidates, so no urgency, and on this, it is not the IOC who will put the pressure, in the sense that we will have a solution which will be both rapid and which will make sense, which will either temporary or abroad.
In the light of this, it is clear that the example of Milan-Cortina 2026 led to a certain modulation in the firm position that the IOC was sometimes able to adopt in the past and thathe wanted to impose on the Italian organizers of the 2026 Olympics.
The understanding between the IOC and the French authorities for more than seven years, between the candidacy and the designation of Paris 2024 undoubtedly also weighs in this opening, the Olympic institution finally having confidence in the ability of French organizers to meet the challenges that may mark the preparations.
Beyond these two key elements, other points also need to be resolved for the French candidacy, in particular with regard to the location of the Opening Ceremony in the northern Alps, the closing being already sectorized in the Alps of the south, and more particularly, in Nice, within theAllianz Arena. Here once more, the choice of an existing site or a temporary structure are on the tablewithout an option standing out at this stage.
Obviously, and as if to counterbalance the current pitfalls, France’s expertise in the organization of major sporting events represents a formidable asset, as do the preparations and orchestration of the Paris 2024 Games, the structural fundamentals of which will serve undeniably a basis for working on the French Alps project.
Also, Christophe Dubi recently insisted in his remarks on the capabilities already demonstrated by the country and by the territories called to host the Winter Games, 38 years following the Albertville 1992 edition.
As he notably stated:
It’s always exciting to be able to project ourselves so far into the future. There are of course the quasi-operational emergencies of the moment with the Games coming very soon, but here, we are talking regarding a six-year vision, French Alps 2030.
The project presented to us […] it is exciting in more than one way. Because ultimately in the French Alps, there is a tremendous capacity for hosting and organizing major events, including recently, and as we can clearly see, these are also absolutely exceptional alpine landscapes.
In addition, this project is perfectly consistent with Agenda 2020 and Agenda 2020+5 as well, in the sense that we rely on existing assets and know-how capabilities.
And then France can rely on a political-administrative system which was developed within the framework of the Paris Games and which we will of course be able to transfer within the framework of this candidacy.
For the French project, support from the authorities – of the Head of State to Territorial Communities – constitutes a central element ofa candidacy with a strong political accentnot to mention the support expressed by some of the sponsors of the Paris 2024 Games who are ready to mobilize once more to support the establishment and delivery of the 2030 Olympics.
This possibility was also mentioned by the IOC Executive Commission when the latter approved the entry of the French Alps into the targeted dialogue phase, making in fact a further demonstration that the French candidacy, even with unanswered questions, remains a strong contender and a serious partner for the IOC.
Taking into account all of these elements, the Commission’s visit will therefore have the major objective of better understanding the ambition of the project formalized in the summer of 2023 and presented at the beginning of last November by the Presidents of the two aforementioned regions and by the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF), particularly with regard to the expected legacy of the Games, before and following the event, for the population and for the territory.
Following this visit consisting of an inspection of the sites and meetings between the parties, the candidacy of the French Alps for 2030 – as well as that of Salt Lake City for 2034 – will make a remote presentation of their respective concept to the Federations Winter Sports Internationals at the end of May 2024.
This sequence will therefore make it possible to enhance and complete the report that the Future Host Commission will present to the IOC Executive Commission in June 2024, before an information session takes place ahead of the IOC Session in July, just before the opening of the Paris 2024 Games.
Similar articles
1713853421
#moment #truth #French #Alps #Sport #Society