The disappointment is visible on all faces… The city of Nice was not chosen by the CNOSF to represent France in hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. While a report released Friday had positioned the Nice candidacy as an underdog, Nice ultimately finished in second place ahead of Grenoble and Pelvoux (Nice received 10 votes, Grenoble 3rd with 9 votes, and Pelvoux did not receive any votes).
“Six Fantastic Months”
Christian Estrosi reflected on his six months of pre-candidacy and all the stages of the Azurean candidacy. From the exceptional support of the population to the newspaper L’Equipe, which congratulated Nice for its comprehensive presentation.
The Deputy Mayor of Nice also made a point to thank the journalists who highlighted certain inconsistencies, as we revealed a few days ago, regarding the impartiality of the CNOSF evaluation report conducted by the Keneo consultancy firm. Henri Sรฉrandour, president of the CNOSF, even went as far as to request yesterday that this report not be considered in the vote.
But one thing is certain, this candidacy has brought recognition to the Azurean mountains. “Everyone now knows that you can ski in the Southern Alps, an area that benefits from exceptional snowfall and weather conditions.”
“We Won’t Give Up”
“The question to ask is: Do we continue, or do we stop here?” The Mayor still wants to make Nice the world capital of sport by hosting all the global sports events like the World Figure Skating Championships and the European Gymnastics Championships in 2012, as well as the Euro 2016, if France applies to host.
He also wishes for a thorough reflection on the topic of the Summer Olympic Games. “We are currently considering a potential candidacy for the hosting of the 2020 or 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
It should be noted that the Nice 2018 organizing committee, which had its offices at the Palais Sarde, will not be dissolved; it will be transformed to handle the organization of major sports events.
“The adventure doesn’t end here, neither for Nice nor for France. The city of Annecy can count on our support so that France has the honor of hosting the Olympic Games on its territory,” concluded Christian Estrosi.
