Announced then qualified, the removal of municipal subsidies for major events such as the UTMB in Nice and Ironman triggered a major controversy in Nice. Between athlete concerns, economic stakes and uncertain future, Nice runner Ruben Chiajese shares his analysis of a decision that divides the sports world.
A political context that sparked a reaction in the sports world
As part of his budgetary policy, Éric Ciotti announced on Friday, April 24, 2026 the elimination of subsidies granted to several major sporting events organized in Nice, including the UTMB in Nice and Ironman. This decision immediately sparked a strong controversy in the sports world as well as on social media.
Announcements quickly shared and widely commented on provoked numerous reactions, particularly among athletes directly concerned.
Faced with reactions, the mayor then backtracked on his statements, clarifying that these competitions would finally be maintained, but without municipal public subsidies, for estimated savings of 2.65 million euros.
A marked reaction among athletes
Content creator, art director and founder of his audiovisual production company, Ruben Chiajese, 26, is from Nice. An amateur athlete, he has gradually specialized in trail running and running, disciplines he has practiced intensively for several years and which he now fully integrates into his daily life.
Very active on social media, he brings together a community of over 100,000 followers particularly on Instagram, where he shares his projects, travels and sporting challenges.
Like Ruben Chiajese, several runners expressed their confusion at this decision. In the sports world, the surprise was general, particularly among athletes who train specifically for these races. The announcement quickly sparked concern and uncertainty.
For many athletes, mobilization on social media may have played a role in the municipality’s turnaround. An analysis shared by the Nice runner, who himself spoke out under Éric Ciotti’s Instagram post to share his perspective.
Between economic stakes and impact on sport
While he understands the desire to reduce public spending on private structures, Ruben Chiajese nonetheless qualifies the decision and highlights the major economic role of these events for the territory.
«These are events that bring a lot of people. People consume, book hotels, go to restaurants… it has a real economic impact for Nice,» says the athlete.
The Nice native nonetheless considers it problematic that budgetary efforts would primarily affect sports and culture: «when economies need to be made, these are often the sectors that are hit. I don’t agree with that.»
Beyond the economic aspect, many runners emphasize the direct consequences for athletes. For many, these events constitute major objectives, prepared over several months or even years.
In this context, questioning these competitions weighs particularly on participants. They mention intensive training, personal sacrifices and an entire season built around these sporting events. An announcement of this type thus disrupts their preparation and ambitions.
Ruben Chiajese also recalls that these events play a key role in sporting progress, particularly by allowing qualification for benchmark competitions such as the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).
Finally, he believes their elimination would weaken the attractiveness of the territory: «if we remove these two major events, we close the door on something very touristy and attractive for the city.»
An uncertain future for these events
Ruben Chiajese calls for better recognition of these disciplines and their importance, both from a sporting, economic and tourism perspective. According to him, these events can only exist sustainably if they are better understood and more valued.
«We need to talk more about it, raise awareness, show their importance. These are major events for the city,» he insists.
The athlete also believes their sustainability will depend on better visibility and stronger media coverage, particularly via social networks, in order to strengthen their attractiveness.
While the organizers of the UTMB in Nice and Ironman have confirmed the continuation of the 2026 editions, the future beyond that remains uncertain. According to available information, no clear visibility exists yet regarding their organization from 2027 onwards, a situation that maintains some uncertainty around their presence in Nice.
A debate that continues
Since then, the controversy continues to fuel discussions. In a recent interview, the general director of the UTMB Group, Frédéric Lénart, addressed a decision made, in his view, too late, when organization is already well underway: «an event of this scale doesn’t organize itself at the last minute,» he recalls, mentioning 6,500 registered runners, 3,500 accompanying persons and many mobilized volunteers.
The general director also clarifies the nature of the funding in question: «it’s not a subsidy but a partnership within the framework of a public contract. The net amount for us is 535,000 euros. We asked ourselves that question internally. We quickly considered that we should find solutions to maintain the event, regardless of financial support. You can’t cancel such an event at the end of April!»
Despite the withdrawal of the city’s financial support, the organization has therefore chosen to maintain the event, even if it means absorbing the losses: «we want to guarantee the race for the registered runners.» The participants’ experience should be preserved, even if the media coverage will be reduced.
Frédéric Lénart also emphasizes the major economic impact of the competition, which generated 10.6 million euros in 2025, while warning about the future: «this is probably the last edition,» he believes, before adding: «we will look at whether other opportunities can emerge elsewhere.»
Comments that prompted a response from Éric Ciotti who replied publicly on social media: «dear Sir, you must understand that with us, the fight against the wastage of public money for the benefit of a purely private organization is not a seasonal matter. The party is over!»
A stance that illustrates the persistence of tensions between the municipality and organizers over the future of the event…
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