The ecologist mayor of Lyon, Grégory Doucet, is willing to host ice sports in Lyon during the 2030 Olympics, his office said on Wednesday, while Eric Ciotti’s election in Nice casts doubt on the current project.
During a meeting with the LR president of the Lyon metropolis, Grégory Doucet “proposed to support the proposal to host ice sports competitions during the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” his office said in a statement.
“This project is currently supported by the South Region,” commented the entourage of the new president of the metropolis, Véronique Sarselli (The Republicans, right-wing), in reference to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region, co-host of the Games with Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. As a future hub for ice sports, Nice is expected to host figure skating, ice hockey, short track, curling, as well as an Olympic village and a media center.
The current project includes temporarily covering the Allianz Riviera football stadium where OGC Nice plays for hockey, and building a temporary ice rink and the Olympic village on the outskirts of Nice.
Lyon will host the Ice Hockey World Cup in 2028.
During the campaign, Eric Ciotti refused to deprive OGC Nice of its stadium for several months and to build a new Olympic complex. Since his election, however, he reiterated his “extremely attached” to hosting the ice events in his city.
On the other hand, Lyon, which has no role in the stadium for the organization of the 2030 Winter Games, will host the Ice Hockey World Cup in 2028. During the election campaign, Grégory Doucet, speaking on BFM Lyon, said this was a “good way to train, maybe rehearse for the 2030 Winter Olympics.”
When asked about the possibility of hosting the opening ceremony of these Games in Lyon, he replied, “Why not? Lyon is ideally positioned to participate in these Games.” Mr. Doucet’s office points out that the city has two ice rinks, and other structures in the area could host this type of event.
