The work on the Montreuil swimming pool (Seine-Saint-Denis) will deprive the French 10m divers who are preparing for the Paris Olympics of the only training site in the Ile-de-France region for several months and are now forced into exile, including in abroad,
AFP
learned on Wednesday from the DTN.
It all started with the decision to bring forward to the end of March the start date of the development of the Maurice-Thorez nautical stadium in Montreuil, future training site for the 2024 Olympics which begin in 16 months.
Normally scheduled for September, the progress of this work has placed the French Swimming Federation (FFN) in a complex situation.
Because nearly seven divers, based at Insep, train regularly in this pool to prepare for the Olympics, and no other site in the region can accommodate them.
“
This is the only training site for our 10m divers in the region, there are no other 10m diving boards in Ile de France.
We knew that this problem would happen, but not so soon
, ”assures
AFP
the National Technical Director (DTN) of the FFN, Julien Issoulié.
This situation has brought out of its hinges the former European diving champion, Benjamin Auffret, now retired, who was indignant at this scenario.
“
The Olympics at home are every 100 years.
Now our athletes, our divers who have worked all their lives for this are being deprived of their place of training one year from this event.
And we will ask them for medals
, ”he tweeted.
After several days of negotiations between the FFN and the National Sports Agency (ANS), a solution was finally found.
“
We tried to rethink the training and preparation program.
There will be a mix with longer than planned internships, particularly in Strasbourg, and with new sites like that of Aix-la-Chapelle in Germany
, ”explains the French DTN.
The costs generated by this new training program will be borne by the ANS, assures the DTN.
“
We are really happy to have found a solution.
The anticipated works put everyone in the rush, but people were reactive
, ”rejoices the DTN.