The official departure of Cyril Linette from his position as Director General of the Alpes 2030 Winter Olympic Games Organizing Committee has confirmed a deep crisis within French sports structures. Edgar Grospiron, the committee's president, had to explain himself before the Senate regarding the growing chaos of responsibilities and conflicts between regional authorities. Foreign media are increasingly questioning France's ability to efficiently prepare for the event in the face of a lack of financial guarantees and strategic sponsors.

Resignation of the Director General

Cyril Linette has officially left the Cojop committee after a dispute with President Edgar Grospiron.

Senate Hearing

President Grospiron admitted before senators that the Games' management system is in crisis.

Political Chaos in the Regions

Disputes between regional leaders over the division of influence are paralyzing talks with sponsors.

Lack of State Guarantees

The government has still not presented the final financial safeguards required by the IOC.

The confirmation of the resignation of Cyril Linette, who served as Director General of the organizing committee Cojop, marks the culmination of a weeks-long dispute at the highest levels of sports authority. Linette, viewed as a professional manager, clashed sharply with the committee's president, Edgar Grospiron, leading to a decision-making paralysis. Grospiron, a skiing legend, admitted during a hearing before a Senate committee that there had been a management crisis but tried to reassure the public, claiming the project's foundations remain stable. Nevertheless, the sudden departure of a key official at such an early planning stage is interpreted by experts as a signal of serious structural problems. The situation is complicated by political tensions between the leaders of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. Rivalry over influence regarding the financing of investments and the division of competencies means that sporting matters are taking a back seat. The lack of clear leadership is deterring potential private sponsors, who are holding back on financial commitments due to uncertainty. Foreign media, including the German "Der Tagesspiegel" and the British "The Independent", are writing about "Olympic chaos" and "clown governance", pointing to a glaring contrast between the recent success of the Paris Games and the current disarray surrounding the winter project. France has hosted the Winter Games three times (1924, 1968, 1992). The Alpes 2030 project is the first to be implemented according to the new IOC model, which emphasizes the use of 95% of existing infrastructure for ecological reasons. The event's budget remains the biggest unknown, as the IOC is still waiting for final guarantees from the French government. In an era of drastic budget cuts in Paris, securing billions for infrastructure in the Alps is meeting resistance from part of the political class. If the committee does not appoint a new operational director and stabilize the situation by mid-2026, pressure to revise or scale back the Games plans will become inevitable. Currently, preparations are delayed by at least several months compared to the schedule. „Les difficultés ne sont pas niées, mais nous devons regarder vers l'avenir avec un professionnalisme total.” (The difficulties are not denied, but we must look to the future with total professionalism.) — Edgar Grospiron

Mentioned People

  • Cyril Linette — Former Director General of the Alpes 2030 Games Organizing Committee.
  • Edgar Grospiron — President of the Organizing Committee, Olympic champion in freestyle skiing.