Tony Estanguet knows that there will still be “disappointments” around tickets and “adaptations” of the opening ceremony on the Seine, but remains very confident.
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Five things to know about ticketing for the 2024 Olympics
What is the state of mind 500 days from the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics?
We feel that all the ingredients are in place for the magic of the Games to work.
Athletes are already qualifying, infrastructure continues to advance (...) Fans are beginning to position themselves, since 3 million tickets have found buyers in the first phase of sales, in less than three weeks, a record In France.
The indicators are green, we are on schedule, we still have the same level of ambition.
Precisely, were you surprised by all these frustrations expressed around this first ticket sale?
We knew that the demand is such that it will not be able to + match + with the supply.
There are many more people interested than tickets available even if we have 13 million tickets (with the Paralympic Games, editor's note).
There are still opportunities, they come from the second phase, starting tomorrow.
It won't be for everyone and I expect this second phase to continue to generate disappointments and frustrations.
It's inevitable, but it will once again make people happy and you have to try your luck.
Read alsoOlympic Games 2024: budget, security, ticketing… Challenges at all levels
The outlines of the opening ceremony on the Seine continue to be discussed, will the gauge of spectators set at 600,000 be lowered? Will it be presented to the IOC in April?
We have a work plan with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but also the French stakeholders, to imagine this ceremony which must mark a milestone.
We want to show the best of France.
We have set ourselves the month of April as our first objective to have this time to work with the IOC, the town hall of Paris, the State and all the players to continue to move forward.
The success of this ceremony is a collective challenge.
We are still 500 days away, there is still time to refine these gauges, and the logistical organization of this opening ceremony.
There is no infeasibility, that's what is important, but there are still adaptations to be made.
This is normal and I think there will be many between now and July 26, 2024.
How do you see the question of the presence or not of Russian athletes at the Paris Olympics evolving?
First, faced with this tragic situation today, the priority is not Paris-2024 but how the situation can be resolved quickly and how we can best support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian athletes.
The international federations are in the process of refining their qualifications, to know if Russian or Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in these qualifying competitions.
And then the IOC, depending on what the international federations have done, even if Russian or Belarusian athletes had qualified, will be able to say whether or not it accepts them to participate in these Games.
This decision is not made.
And Paris 2024 is not in a position to decide.
The president agreed to receive us at the Elysée to share the ambition around this project, to thank these companies which are committed to the success of Paris 2024.
Tony Estanguet
Do you raise this subject with the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron?
Of course there are exchanges between us and the President of the Republic, between the President and the IOC who can share his decision, and once again it is the IOC who has the last word.
Are you going to take part in the lunch which is held on Tuesday at the Elysée with the partner companies of the Olympic Games?
It is important for me to share this J-500 with the companies which will finance the organization of the Olympic Games.
Our model relies 96% on private money and the partners finance more than a third of the Cojo's budget.
The president agreed to receive us at the Elysée to share the ambition around this project, to thank these companies which are committed to the success of Paris 2024. We are at thirty partners, with Arcelor Mittal (which will manufacture the torches and the Olympic and Paralympic cauldrons, editor's note) and Lyreco who are joining the adventure this week.
How does the organizing committee find its place among all the actors, between the IOC, the State, the federations, the elected officials...?
Organizing the Games is a real challenge, it's complex.
My role is to ensure that each of these players continues to move forward so that everyone converges towards the success of Paris 2024. We must welcome everyone's comments, constantly find compromises to move this beautiful boat that is Paris 2024!
I am convinced that France has all the assets to organize great Games!