What concerning the subsequent Winter Olympics? | EUROtoday

As of: February 22, 2026 • 4:19 a.m

The subsequent Winter Olympics will happen in France in 2030. The plans have to date been characterised by disputes, ambiguities and criticism. The organizers are nonetheless attempting to be optimistic.

The preparations for the 2030 Winter Olympics haven’t had a great star to date. The French organizing committee round President Edgar Grospiron is hopelessly divided. Many have thrown within the towel.

People are more and more nervous within the Elysée. Will France even be capable of ship on time? Grospiron – 1992 moguls champion in Albertville – is assured on the press convention for the handover of Milan Cortina to the French Alps. The man is used to issues being bumpy: “We will deliver spectacular winter games, games of participation and innovation.”

Light as a typical thread

Exuding optimism is the order of the day. And so Matthieu Sakkas, who’s chargeable for the picture of the 2030 Games on the organizing committee, offers a foretaste of the handover ceremony on the closing ceremony. Musicians and athletes will set up the night collectively to the soundtrack of the newly recorded Marseillaise. “We call our handover ceremony ‘New Dawn’ because light will be the common thread of our Winter Games.”

However, there are fairly a number of darkish spots right here. It is unclear which new sports activities shall be authorized for 2030. There is theory about telemark, ice cross and ski sprints, amongst different issues. Some venues will not be but recognized.

IOC desires to resolve on disciplines in June

Organization boss Grospiron reassures: “The question of the new disciplines is a central issue for us because it depends on what exactly the map of the venues will look like.” The IOC will resolve on this in June.

But the longer this choice takes, the extra there’s rumbling within the affected areas. The 2030 Winter Games in France may have a good bigger geographical footprint than the video games in northern Italy – with areas in Savoy, High Savoy, Briancon and the Mediterranean coastal city of Nice.

Criticism of horrendous prices

Environmentalists and critics of the horrendous prices – with investments of 1.4 billion euros – have been campaigning in opposition to the 2030 Winter Games for a very long time. OK President Grospiron is undeterred: “We are convinced and confident that we can deliver our games at an excellent level.” The venues are already 85 p.c sure, solely 15 p.c are nonetheless open. France would additionally profit from the experience and expertise of the 2024 Summer Games, mentioned Grospiron. “And thirdly, we have the example of northern Italy, where the games were also held at locations far apart.”

The query stays whether or not the quarrels inside the organizing committee will be resolved rapidly. New personnel castling prices time. And that’s slowly turning into scarce.