France's Olympic organizers are facing major challenges and problems. Even the President of the Republic is said to have expressed his alarm.
25.02.2026, 05:01
25.02.2026, 07:39
SDA
Personnel disputes in the organizing committee, sponsorship issues and delays in the preparations: Four years before the next Winter Games, the problems at host nation France are overshadowing the joy over the record haul of 23 French Olympic medals in Italy.
After the celebratory event in Albertville with a parade of athletes, the focus is now back on the worries. With the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France had actually proven itself to be a confident organizer of top competitions.
Series of resignations in the OC
A series of resignations has shaken the divided organizing committee. Following the resignation of three other executives, media reports suggest that Director General Cyril Linette is also on the verge of leaving due to "insurmountable differences of opinion" with OC President Edgar Grospiron. While the departure has not yet been officially announced, the newspapers "L'Équipe" and "Le Parisien" also point to a possible replacement of the president himself.
According to "Le Parisien", the quarrels are certainly causing a stir at the Élysée Palace. President Emmanuel Macron is exerting pressure and has set a deadline of 15 March to set up a functioning organizing committee. There was still a crisis meeting of the organizing committee in Milan on Sunday.
"We will be ready in time"
"We want to organize exhilarating and spectacular Games," emphasized OC President Grospiron at the conclusion of the Games in northern Italy. "We have the organizational experience of 2024, which helps us to get into a rhythm quickly and ensure that we will be ready in time," said the 1992 Olympic moguls champion, referring to delays.
"We need stability, calm and continuity in the organizing committee, then we will be able to implement the Games successfully," said the 56-year-old about the personnel problems. There is little time and a tight financial framework. "But we know that we can do it."
Competitions between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean
The allocation of the competitions to the venues in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions has not yet been completely finalized. The concept provides almost exclusively for the use of existing competition venues spread across four main regions, ranging from Lake Geneva and the northern Alps to the Mediterranean in the south.
The framework plan includes the ice channel at La Plagne, the ski jump at Courchevel and the Roc de Fer downhill run in Méribel. The winter sports resort of Annecy-Le Grand Bornand is to host the biathlon competitions. Nice will host all ice sports except speed skating, which will be held outside France to avoid the construction of a new sports venue.
Turin or Heerenveen in the Netherlands are to be chosen instead. "It's not up to the OC to decide," explained Grospiron. "We have to implement what the regions and the IOC have decided and make it a fantastic Games."
Competition program not yet finalized
"15 percent of the competition venue plan is still open, 85 percent is already clear," reported France's OC boss. But the competition program has not yet been finalized. However, this is necessary in order to finalize the plan for the competition venues. "We need a decision from the IOC by June. We are also working together with the world federations."
The Olympic organizers are also late with the contracts for sponsorship, which is to contribute to the budget of around 3.4 billion euros for the upcoming Winter Games. According to the organizers, a first partner will be announced in the next few weeks. However, as the broadcaster RTL reported, one interested company cites the slow planning as the reason for the delays. In the end, however, they will come together, the company said.
France already has plenty of Olympic experience. Paris hosted the summer Olympics for the third time in 2024 after 1900 and 1924. The French Alps hosted the Winter Games in Chamonix (1924), Grenoble (1968) and most recently Albertville (1992) - where OC boss Grospiron won gold 34 years ago.
