The board of directors of the organizing committee for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games has approved, to save money, the start of the swimming events in Seine-Saint-Denis, the president of the organizing committee said on Wednesday. Tony Estanguet during a videoconference.
“We validated the removal of two temporary sites (…) which will allow us to relocate the events that were planned in the sites that are now available: it is the swimming and volleyball events that will be directly impacted, ”announced Tony Estanguet.
“” We do not touch the sports program “
It thus confirms the start of the swimming events, queen event of the Games with athletics, from the city of Saint-Denis, to go to Nanterre (Paris La Défense Arena) and those of volleyball which start from Le Bourget. The volleyball landing spot is not yet known. Swimming was to be held in a temporary pool. Saint-Denis keeps the permanent aquatic center (diving, synchronized swimming, water polo). Estimated gain from the transfer of swimming events: 60 million euros, according to corroborating sources. On the other hand, Seine-Saint-Denis will host climbing and rugby sevens.
The organizing committee has planned to release 400 million euros to stay within an initial budget of 3.8 billion euros, and has revised the map of temporary sites. “The ambition is maintained, is very strong, with the will to celebrate a unique, exceptional and very spectacular event, but also to continue on this objective of responsibility, sobriety, popular commitment”, insisted Tony Estanguet.
“We do not touch the sports program,” he said. The completely revamped site map will be stopped “by the end of 2020,” he said. It must then obtain the approval of the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
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