Vincent Roberti named interim head of French Alps 2030 committee

LYON, France, Sept 14 - Vincent Roberti was appointed interim president of the French Alps 2030 Winter Olympics organising committee on Monday following the departure of Edgar Grospiron, the latest upheaval in the Games’ troubled preparations.

An extraordinary general assembly approved a temporary rule change allowing Roberti to combine the presidency with his existing position as director general until a permanent successor is appointed.

Grospiron, the 1992 Olympic moguls champion, left just 18 months after taking charge amid tensions over the organisation and governance of the Games.

His departure followed that of former director general Cyril Linette, who stepped down earlier this year citing “insurmountable disagreements”.

The French Alps project has encountered several challenges, including the decision in May to relocate the ice sports events from Nice to Lyon.

Nice had originally been designated as the Games’ southern “ice sports hub”. However, the city's newly elected mayor, Eric Ciotti, refused to allow the use of the Allianz Riviera stadium, home to Nice football club, as a temporary ice rink for the men's hockey competition.

The International Olympic Committee's wish to retain a unified ice sports cluster means the ice events will be moved to Lyon, with the exception of speed skating, which will be hosted at the Thialf ice arena in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.

The IOC Coordination Commission is due to hold a news conference in Lyon on Wednesday following its second review of preparations for the 2030 Games. REUTERS