We will have to wait for the last exchanges with the international federations and the validation of the board of directors on December 17, but the map of the Olympic sites, presented this Wednesday in the office, should hardly change.
Savings of around 150 million euros
Paris 2024 had not necessarily imagined a new project review, after that of 2018. With the economic crisis, the organizing committee (OCOG) anxious to save 400 million euros looked at the site map .
According to our information, the new distribution of events saves around 150 million euros.
A total of 105 million already just by removing two temporary sites that were planned in Seine-Saint-Denis: the aquatic stadium (60 million euros) and the Le Bourget cluster for volleyball (55 million euros).
Three other sites are wiped off the map: the Jean-Bouin stadium which was to host the Sevens rugby, the Zénith (weightlifting) and 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 is 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 provisional aquatic stadium installed next to it, the swimming races will take place at La Défense Arena.
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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 at 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 in La Défense, is also cut in two: artistic at Bercy, rhythm at the Arena at Porte de la Chapelle.
Finally, the hypothesis of a team sport at Roland Garros is abandoned.
Tennis and boxing will be organized there as planned.
In the end, Paris 2024 manages to fit 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 at 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 is moving.
Only the concept of the Concorde is revised downwards.
The idea of a huge Olympic park is abandoned.
BMX free style, breakdance, skateboarding will go well at La Concorde but in resized sites.
Climbing is moved to Le Bourget.
A "compensation" for the department of Seine-Saint-Denis which by losing the temporary sites of Saint-Denis and Bourget has given up on volleyball, swimming racing and two Paralympic events (wheelchair rugby and boccia).
Two outdoor Paralympic disciplines are coming to Seine-Saint-Denis: the 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 (valid or not) will be held during the Paralympic Games (August 28 to September 8, 2024), in Seine-Saint-Denis.