France Vows to Honour 2030 Winter Olympics Commitment Despite Presidential Election

Lyon, France — France will honour its commitment to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games regardless of the outcome of next year’s presidential election, Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said on Tuesday during a visit by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to Lyon.

Ferrari told reporters that France would deliver on its international commitments despite any political changeover, arguing that reversing the decision to host the Games would be difficult.

“When France commits to an international project such as hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, France will deliver regardless of any political changeover,” she said.

Environmental Concerns Fuel Opposition

The minister’s remarks come amid renewed opposition from environmental groups and left-wing politicians, who have called for the cancellation of the project over concerns about its ecological and financial impact.

Delphine Larat, a representative of the citizens’ collective JOP 2030, told AFP that the organisation was calling for the project to be stopped, citing the environmental impact of recent extreme summer conditions and broader climate concerns.

Jean-Francois Coulomme, a member of parliament from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, also criticised plans for artificial snow production. He said the project would undergo a radical reassessment on environmental and financial grounds if Jean-Luc Mélenchon were elected president.

IOC Inspects Lyon Region Venues

The IOC delegation is visiting Lyon through Wednesday to inspect potential venues for ice sports. The events were relocated from Nice after newly elected mayor Eric Ciotti rejected plans to build a temporary ice rink at the city’s football stadium.

The proposed Lyon-region venues are expected to host ice hockey, curling, figure skating and short-track speed skating. The IOC is scheduled to confirm the venues on Wednesday.

Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, blamed the far right for what he described as driving the Games out of Nice. However, he suggested that even a future government potentially led by Marine Le Pen would be unlikely to abandon the international visibility associated with hosting the Olympics.

Organising Committee Faces Leadership Transition

The IOC visit follows the resignation of organising committee president Edgar Grospiron after a prolonged governance crisis. Deputy head Vincent Roberti is currently serving as interim president while officials search for a permanent successor.

Regional leaders Renaud Muselier and Fabrice Pannekoucke, president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, have both reported strong interest in the position. Muselier said the next leader should have the authority and personal charisma needed to represent the project effectively.

“We need someone who embodies the project, a leader with natural authority and personal charisma,” he said.

French Olympic Committee president Amélie Oudéa Castéra added that the successful candidate would not necessarily need to be a former athlete.

As France prepares for the next phase of Olympic planning, the project remains at the intersection of international sporting commitments, domestic political debate and environmental scrutiny. The confirmation of venues and appointment of a new organising committee president are expected to shape the Games’ direction in the months ahead.