2030 Winter Olympics boss departs amid turmoil

Edgar Grospiron has left his position as president of the organising committee for the 2030 French Alps Winter Olympics just 18 months after his appointment.

The departure of Grospiron, the 1992 Olympic moguls champion, was confirmed at a meeting of the committee's executive board on Thursday, marking the latest setback in the event's troubled governance.

In a statement, the organising committee said: "His decision to leave the presidency is part of a deliberate, organised and fully assumed transition, taken in the interests of the project and its governance.

"It reflects a shared desire with stakeholders to enable the organisation to quickly enter this new operational phase."

Confirming his departure via a post on LinkedIn, Grospiron said his decision followed "months of tension".

"I draw the conclusion that the conditions are not met for me to continue this," he wrote.

Grospiron's tenure, which began in February 2025, has been plagued by internal turmoil and logistical challenges.

In February 2026, chief executive officer Cyril Linette left the committee, citing "insurmountable disagreements" with Grospiron.

Linette's departure followed a number of other high-profile resignations, including chief operating officer Anne Murac and communications director Arthur Richer.

Budget cuts have plagued the planning process, with Grospiron admitting in February they had "little time, little money".

However, he remained confident he could "deliver a Games that will honour our vision and ambition" provided there was "serenity" and "continuity" from the organising committee.

In May, the committee was forced to shelve the Games' 'ice sports hub' in Nice after the city's mayor, Eric Ciotti, refused to allow OGC Nice's Allianz Riviera Stadium to be converted into a temporary ice rink.

The ice events will now be hosted in Lyon, with the exception of speed skating, which will take place in Heerenveen in the Netherlands.

Two months later, following a tense board meeting in July, French Olympic Committee president Amelie Oudea-Castera told La Tribune Dimanche, external that they were "once again facing governance problems".

Despite another departure from the organising committee, French sports minister Marina Ferrari says there is "no concern about what comes next".

"The bid is continuing to move forward," she told reporters. "Our teams are mobilised and working. We are confident about the future of the Alpes project."

The International Olympic Committee praised Grospiron's "crucial work in laying the foundations for the success" of the Games.

"The IOC will continue working in close collaboration with the organising committee to build on the solid foundations that Mr Grospiron has laid," the statement added.