The president of the Organizing Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, took stock on Wednesday December 20 of the work carried out in 2023, and of what remains to be done for 2024.
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Preparing for the Olympics for a host city is like a marathon. A few days before the switch to 2024, those involved in the Paris Olympics took stock of the past year and gave perspectives for the coming months, until the official launch on July 26. “ Our ambition is strong to make France successful, with French-style Games. That is to say, a desire to innovate and show the best of our country », declared Tony Estanguet, the president of the Organizing Committee (Cojo).
The former Olympic champion is pleased to end the year with 84% of the projects completed. The construction of the Olympic and Paralympic village will end on December 31 for the keys to be handed over to Paris 2024 on March 1. Tony Estanguet also points to the arrival of 36 new partners while 96% of the budget for the Paris Olympics comes from the private sector. Regarding ticketing, Tony Estanguet announced that 7.6 million tickets were sold. But there are still tickets on sale, particularly for football, handball, basketball, water polo and even boxing. Regarding volunteers, after receiving 313,000 applications, all volunteers were selected. Most volunteers have a link with the French sports movement.
Still thorny issues to resolve
For 2024, there are still thorny issues to be resolved so that the 878 competitions planned are organized with the greatest peace of mind. For the moment, the most sensitive element is on the Tahiti side, while the project to build a new tower for the judges of the surfing event still raises concerns. At the beginning of December, during technical tests, a barge intended for the installation of the resized aluminum tower had broken coral, pushing the Polynesian government to pause the work. “ We respect the decision which was taken almost unanimously locally to continue to launch this construction work. », affirmed Tony Estanguet.
A desire reaffirmed when, in a press release on Tuesday, December 19, the ISA (International Surfing Association) said it had proposed to the Polynesian government, as well as to the organizers of the Olympic Games, to do without the tower on the Teahupo site. o and judge the event via aerial images taken from the shore and the sea.
This option “ has already been appraised and studied recently, and was not considered possible, feasible on several subjects: on the technical level for producing images, but also in terms of security, it raises a lot of questions », indicated Tony Estanguet. “ Five months from the tests, eight months from the Games, we must be able to move forward », For his part, underlined Étienne Thobois, general director of Paris 2024. In 2023, 18 tests were carried out, such as the triathlon or the mountain bike event. From next February, Paris 2024 will continue the series of tests, as for artistic swimming for example, or even BMX.
Embark all French people in the Paralympics adventure
Tony Estanguet, who also raised the issue of transport for the public, did not want to comment on the latest alarmist statements from certain politicians. To accommodate up to 800,000 additional people per day in Ile-de-France, the public transport offer will be increased by 15% during the Games, compared to normal summer holidays, in particular on the RER C and the line 9 which serves Roland-Garros and the Parc des princes. The president of Cojo says he is calm about the question. “ Commitments are kept, we will have 100% public transport” to access the Olympic sites », Assured the day before the Minister for Transport, Clément Beaune, during the 9th strategic mobility committee of the Olympic Games.
Regarding the Paralympic Games (August 28-September 8), some 830,000 tickets were also sold, while the sale of 2.8 million places for the 550 events began on October 9. Around 80% of the places already allocated for the Paralympic Games have been acquired by public actors (State, communities, etc.). “ The challenge now is to involve all French people in this adventure », Estimated the former three-time Olympic canoe champion. “ Traditionally, in all the latest editions of the Paralympic Games, there are a little less than half of the tickets sold at the time of the Olympic Games, very late, and it is very likely that we will not be an exception. », added Tony Estanguet.
While the Olympic flame will be lit in Greece on April 16, it will arrive on May 8 on French soil, in Marseille. A moment which should make the French population say that the 2024 Olympics are indeed close.