Optimistic speech from the organizers 2024 Olympic Games in Paris did not hide the doubts and dissatisfaction caused by this undertaking, which, although it has made significant progress this year, has not resolved all the unknowns that his ambitious project entails.
Seven months before the opening ceremony on July 26, work on the Olympic Village is almost complete and the complex will be completed at the end of February, as will the construction or upgrade of sports facilities, and 7.6 million tickets have already been sold.
Tony Estanguettethree-time Olympic medalist in canoeing and president of the organizing committee, said.
Everything will be ready for the meeting of the world’s best athletes.
However, outside the tracks and venues, some elements are not so clear, and in others there are even strong political disputes or citizen dissatisfaction.
safety This is of great concern to the French authorities.especially for an unusual opening ceremony, with a parade of delegations on boats along a six-kilometer strip of the Seine.
About half a million people will attend the spectacular ceremony, but authorities are concerned about security.
Paris airspace will be closed within a radius of 150 kilometers, and two capital airports will temporarily suspend operations on this day.
The president, Emmanuel Macronsaid last week that there were “Plan Bs” in the event of a “potential threat” to the opening ceremony, but did not provide further details.
In addition to strengthening the police force, about 15 thousand soldiers will take part in the device, of which 10 thousand in Paris, of which 5 thousand will remain in a giant tent camp in the Reilly park.
Another key element of security will be protection from petty criminals after UEFA Champions League final disaster in 2022. Authorities appear to have redeemed themselves with a good run at this year’s Rugby World Cup and say crime has fallen in recent months.
The famous booksellers on the banks of the Seine will be a collateral victim. About 160 of the 230 traditional wooden stalls, painted green, will be temporarily removed for safety reasons, despite protests from the union.
Transport and transit, controversial aspects
The transportation plan is one of the most controversial items. The socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, sparked controversy by warning in late November that there would not be enough metro and commuter trains in some locations.
You won’t be ready.
With an estimated 15 million spectators expected at the Olympic events, as well as residents of Paris and the region, the network will be stretched thin.
The regional government (on which public transport depends) and the central executive have accused Hidalgo of alarmism amid political rivalries.
The traffic plan is another highly controversial issue. The prefecture (government delegation) presented a four-color map, which delineates free and prohibited areas, passing through two degrees of increasing restrictions.
Parisians, already plagued by extremely heavy traffic, fear that getting around the city and surrounding areas will be a nightmare during the Games.
Russian athletes
The IOC approved on December 8 “strict qualification conditions” for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under a neutral flag and only in individual competitions, but not in team competitions.
This possibility angers Ukraine and some of its most supportive countries. The IOC always has the final say on registration. Whatever the outcome, there will be deep dissatisfaction.
Cleaning the Seine
Cleaning up the river to host long-distance swimming and triathlon events, and to ensure that the waters are safe for Parisians to swim in, is one of the legacies of these Games.
The World Cup was suspended in August due to pollution, but the organization is confident that the completion of several works, such as the construction of a giant rainwater storage tank near Austerlitz station, will finally clean up the river.
Accommodation
Prices for tourist hotels and apartments tripled during the JO days, with the average price of a hotel room reaching 699 euros per night, the Paris Tourism and Convention Authority, which requested the curbs, said in November. No success yet.
In addition, the Paris City Council has tightened measures and controls against abuse or violations in the rental of tourist apartments.
Homeless
Homeless people living on the streets of Paris, who increase in number during the summer, have become another target for authorities, who have begun relocating some of them to other areas of France amid protests from several NGOs.
Faced with accusations of apophobia, the prefecture of the Paris region assured on the 21st that “this is not a question of social cleansing” and that it has no “goal to eliminate homelessness” in the capital.
There will definitely be discomfort and (negative) consequences, but we try to minimize them as much as possible.
(according to information from EFE)
Source: Aristegui Noticias
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
