It will be necessary to wait for the last exchanges with the international federations and the validation of the board of directors of December 17, but the map of the Olympic sites, presented this Wednesday in the office, should hardly evolve.
A saving of around 150 million euros
Paris 2024 had not necessarily imagined a new project review, after that of 2018. The economic crisis having done so, the organizing committee (COJO) anxious to save 400 million euros looked at the map of the sites . According to our information, the new distribution of events makes it possible to earn around 150 million euros. A total of 105 million already just by removing two temporary sites which were planned in Seine-Saint-Denis: the aquatic stadium (60 million euros) and the Bourget cluster for volleyball (55 million euros). Three other sites are wiped off the map: the Jean-Bouin stadium which was to host rugby sevens, the Zénith (weightlifting) as well as a football stadium, the name of which is not fixed.
Handball goes to Lille, basketball is cut in two
All the sites have been appraised and several options have been put on the table. One of the big changes concerns swimming. The aquatic center will be well built in Saint-Denis, opposite the Stade de France, for diving, water polo and synchronized swimming. On the other hand, there will no longer be a temporary aquatic stadium installed next door, the swimming races will take place at La Défense Arena.
Another major change, the handball tournaments, initially planned at the exhibition center, are heading to the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille. The basketball tournaments will be organized in two sites: the preliminary matches at the Parc des expositions (which will also host volleyball), the finals at the Accor Arena. Gymnastics, which was to be held at La Défense, is also split in two: artistic at Bercy, rhythmic at the Arena de la Porte de la Chapelle. Finally, the hypothesis of a collective sport at Roland-Garros is abandoned. Tennis and boxing will be organized there as planned. In the end, Paris 2024 manages to bring all the events into fewer sites. A good point in terms of durability.
Road cycling open to the public in the Seine
It may seem bling-bling, but Paris 2024 wanted to keep this concept of organizing events on iconic sites: horse riding in Versailles (even if the federation pushed for Lamotte-Beuvron), beach volleyball at the tower Eiffel, fencing at the Grand Palais, archery at the Invalides… Nothing changes. Only the concept of the Concorde is revised downwards. The idea of a huge Olympic park is abandoned. BMX freestyle, breakdance, skateboarding will take place at La Concorde but in resized sites.
Climbing is moved to Le Bourget. A “compensation” for the Seine-Saint-Denis department which, by losing the temporary sites of Saint-Denis and Le Bourget, has given up on volleyball, swimming and two Paralympic events (wheelchair rugby and boccia). Two outdoor Paralympic disciplines are coming to Seine-Saint-Denis: marathon and track cycling. In addition, if a marathon open to the public is to take place in Paris during the Olympic Games (July 26 to August 11, 2024), a road cycling event open to all (able or not) will be held during the Paralympic Games (August 28 to September 8, 2024), in Seine-Saint-Denis.
