A new resignation within the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee has reignited questions about the project’s governance. The Minister of Sports, Marina Ferrari, is demanding swift clarifications as internal and external tensions multiply four years before the deadline.
The organizing committee for the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in the French Alps is facing another turbulent period. On Friday, the Cojop announced the departure of its communications director, Arthur Richer. The decision comes a little over a month after the resignation of Anne Murac, director of operations. Two departures in less than two months from strategic positions during a still formative phase of the project.
Arthur Richer had been appointed in June as the communications director. The resignation occurs a week before the opening of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, scheduled from February 6 to 22, which are symbolically meant to hand over the torch to the French Alps. The timing raises further questions about the stability of the committee.
In a statement released on Friday, the Cojop did not provide explanations for this departure. The text highlights the work done since he took office. “Since his arrival, Arthur Richer has professionalized and structured the Cojop’s communication function within the framework of orchestrating major institutional events of Alpes françaises 2030 and establishing a long-term strategy and framework to build the reputation and image of the organization and the 2030 Games,” the committee stated.
Contacted by L’Équipe, the former director of sports and reputation at Havas did not wish to comment. A source involved with the Games mentioned “a disagreement on the strategy to be implemented.”
The Cojop’s statement specifies that “the Cojop Alpes françaises 2030, now structured, is entirely focused on continuing its activities, notably the communication strategy within the framework of the Cojop’s presence at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games. A recruitment process will be launched as soon as possible.”
The Minister of Sports demands quick clarification
Following these successive departures, the Minister of Sports reacted publicly. Marina Ferrari demanded on Friday “a swift and comprehensive clarification on the governance and stability” of the organizing committee. The statement was released to the press in the afternoon.
“This new departure within the Cojop naturally draws my attention and raises real concerns. It calls for a swift and comprehensive clarification on the governance and the organization’s stability,” declared the minister. Marina Ferrari announced that “on Monday, an executive board meeting involving all stakeholders will be held. It should provide clear explanations from the Cojop management.”
For the Minister of Sports, the situation demands guarantees: “For several months, work has been progressing” on the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games project. Marina Ferrari emphasized that the “collective dynamic, engaging all stakeholders, is essential to the project’s success and must be preserved.” The minister also insisted on the expected requirements: “The success of the 2030 Olympics requires exemplary, structured, and fully operational organization. I will be extremely demanding and vigilant on this point, alongside the sports movement and local authorities. I will ensure that everyone assumes their responsibilities.”
Internal tensions, political disagreements, and pending projects
These departures occur in an already fragile climate. Before the deputies, the deputy general director of the Cojop, Cyril Linette, acknowledged that the resignation of Anne Murac constituted “a little setback.” The position concerned is considered “absolutely fundamental for the organization of the games.” The operations director was notably supervising the site map, tasked with allocating competitions to the four major identified hubs: Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Nice, and Briançonnais. This map is still not finalized.
The financial issue also fuels disagreements. By the end of 2025, the mayor of Courchevel, Jean-Yves Pachod, had requested an increase in state-regional aid to renovate the Praz ski jumps for the Games. Hervé Gaymard, president of the Savoie departmental council, announced that the department was suspending “its participation in preparation meetings until further notice,” refusing to be “a budget adjustment variable” for the project.
In addition to these difficulties, there are three ongoing procedures. Appeals have been filed before a UN body in Geneva as well as the administrative courts of Lyon and Marseille, initiated by the citizen collective JOP 2030. The collective denounces the absence “of public involvement in the decision-making process” before the candidacy and since the Games’ attribution.
The very creation of the Cojop Alpes françaises 2030 experienced several months of delay due to disagreements over the presidential appointment. Edgar Grospiron was eventually appointed in February 2025, after Martin Fourcade’s withdrawal.
Four years before the deadline, several uncertainties remain. The site map is yet to be finalized. The position of Val d’Isère for the technical alpine ski events is not definitively decided. The location of the speed oval, in Italy or the Netherlands, also remains undecided. However, in a statement released in December, the Cojop set a goal to finalize by June 2026.
