The French winter sports association actually wanted to present its professional teams for the 2023/24 World Cup season on Thursday. But nothing came of it. Because the required budget has not yet been fully approved by the national sports association, biathletes, ski jumpers and alpinists have to wait for their performance.
The French association is planning a budget totaling eleven million euros for the 2023/24 winter sports season. This should cover the expenses of biathletes, ski jumpers, alpine athletes, freestylers and the like. But the national association has not yet released the said eleven million euros.
“We are still missing between 300,000 and 500,000 euros,” reported winter sports boss Fabien Saguez in an interview with “Le Dauphiné”. Because the budget question has not yet been clarified, the association quickly postponed the presentation of its A teams, which was planned for Thursday.
“We will need a few more weeks,” Saguez also indicated that the procedure will probably take a while.
Several circumstances have complicated the situation in recent months, Saguez justified the not yet reached agreement with the French umbrella organization.
“We have to see 2022/23 in an inflationary context. Some costs have exploded, some items have become two and a half times as expensive. The situation is very complicated. At the same time we have a small drop in income, especially with a view to events taking place in 2023 will not take place like the Biathlon World Cup in Grand-Bornand,” explained Saguez.
France’s winter sports stars not in need of money
At the same time, the calendars in most winter sports have been inflated. With the exception of the Biathlon World Cup, there will be more events in almost all other major sports in 2023/24 than in previous years. “The result is that travel costs are increasing,” said the head of the association.
The French winter sports association is not currently worried, “but we have to increase our resources,” warned Saquez, who then emphasized again that his association is not in financial difficulties: “And I will do everything to keep it that way .”