“Eco Olympics are a sham,” claim protesters in French Alps
In brightly colored ski outfits, with wigs and red noses, some 250 demonstrators gathered Saturday at three points in the Alps to protest the possible organization of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps. In Chambéry, about a hundred people gathered in a carnival-like atmosphere in a park not far from the headquarters of the Olympic and Sports Departmental Committee of Savoie.
Activists from various associations (Extinction Rebellion, Attac, les Soulèvements de la Terre) and ordinary citizens gathered at the call of the No-JO collective. The program included street skiing and bobsledding with the awarding of “medals” to the presidents of the regions, Laurent Wauquiez (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and Renaud Muselier (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur), as well as to the president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, David Lappartient, to reward their “authoritarianism,” “dishonesty,” and “corruption” respectively.
The fact that an association that signed a petition against hosting the 2030 Olympics in France lost its subsidies from the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region in December was notably denounced. This was a claim the region denied at the time, stating that nothing was voted on. Signs with messages like “Full speed towards economic and ecological catastrophe,” and “Alpine skiing or water skiing?” were seen throughout the demonstrations.
In Grenoble, about forty people positioned themselves near a roundabout along the national road leading to the ski resorts, wearing colorful alpine sports attire to raise awareness among tourists. In the Hautes-Alpes, about a hundred demonstrators, also dressed in colorful outfits, took advantage of the traffic jams at a roundabout to interact with motorists in a “festive” atmosphere, according to Stéphane Passeron, a member of the No JO collective. In Paris, protesters posed in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The candidacy of the French Alps, supported by the PACA and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions for the 2030 Winter Games, was the only one chosen by the IOC on November 29th, with a final decision expected in June. Since then, elected officials and associations have been highlighting the ecological and economic risks posed by this global event. Some argue for sustainable Games that would help develop transportation, especially railways, in the Alps.
