The 2030 French Alps Games will see figure skating, hockey, short track and curling events “held in Lyon,” while speed skating will “be in the Netherlands,” according to Nick Zaccardi of NBCSPORTS.com. That will make the Games the first Winter Olympics to include competition in multiple countries. Figure skating, hockey, short track and curling were “originally planned to be in Nice” at Allianz Riviera Stadium. The stadium was “planned to be covered,” but French media reported in the spring that an “agreement hadn’t been reached.” That led organizers to “consider other cities for ice sports, including Lyon and Paris.” The original French Alps 2030 bid plan from 2023 did “not include a speed skating venue” as France does not have a speed skating arena. The IOC board approved Thialf in the Netherlands “pending completion of organizing committee discussions with venue owners.” Alpine skiing at the 2030 French Alps Games will be “shared by Courchevel and Val d’Isère,” two annual stops on the World Cup circuit. A fully integrated venue plan, including the “detailed allocation of sports and disciplines, will be announced at a later date” (NBCSPORTS.com, 6/22).
