According to a survey conducted by Ifop, 73% of the residents of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes are in favor of holding the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in the Southern Alps, provided they are environmentally friendly.
“Contrary to what the ‘NO JO’ campaigners want us to believe, the Winter Olympics in our Alps are very popular!”, communicated the Sud region, following the publication of the Ifop survey results. This opinion survey was conducted with a sample of 806 people (404 in Hautes-Alpes and 402 in Alpes-Maritimes) aged 18 and over, in October 2023. Residents of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence were not surveyed.
From this survey, we learn that 70% of the inhabitants of these two departments say they are not personally interested in winter sports competitions. However, more than half of the residents have heard about the project, and only 35% say they know precisely what it’s about.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions announced last July their decision to join forces to submit a joint bid to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2030. This bid aims to uphold environmental values. The key words are: “unity, sobriety, legacy, sustainability, and sharing.” In principle, it was unanimously adopted at the plenary assembly on October 26.
Environmentally-friendly focus at the heart of the project?
73% are in favor of organizing the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics that are environmentally friendly for our French Alps and compatible with climate imperatives, still according to the survey.
The No Jo collective is completely opposed to this project and has been formed to protest against this bid which they believe, “represents an economic, social, and environmental absurdity.” A petition has been created to request the organization of a referendum and contradictory debates concerning this bid. To date, it has just over 1,100 signatures.
Nothing is won yet, as the French regions backing a project of “exemplary, modern, and innovative Games” are competing with the Swedish capital Stockholm and Salt Lake City in the US state of Utah to host the competition, which will be held from February 8 to 24, 2030.
The final bid application must be submitted to the International Olympic Committee on November 7 next. It will be followed by an oral presentation on November 21. The final decision is expected to be announced on December 7 next.
