several promises vanished since the Paris candidacy

Popular Olympics?

The price of tickets, considered too expensive by many, has undermined the promise of a popular Olympics even if organizers ensure that the ticket office is in the same price range as those in London.

Another question about the popular nature of the Olympics : the unique opening ceremony on the Seine has undergone a serious facelift. Announced in 2021, it was not in the application file but had been on people’s minds for a long time.Emmanuel Macronfrom the socialist mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and organizers.

After an initial battle between the Paris town hall, which wanted as many people as possible, and much more cautious public authorities, it was announced that it could accommodate 600,000 spectators: 500,000 free on the high platforms and 100,000 paying on the the low platforms.

But, For safety reasons, there are now 222,000 free spectators in addition to paying spectators. And the philosophy has changed: no longer a question of trying your luck from all over France. It is now by invitation in particular from the State, the organizing committee, Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis, and the Ile-de-France region that the elected officials will be designated.

The latter promise that residents of working-class neighborhoods, associations or even those whose lives have been disrupted by preparations for the Olympics. In the end there will always be more people than at the Stade de France.

“The Games finance the Games”? The State and communities too

Contrary to popular belief, it is mainly private money that finances the Games.

But, contrary to what the Executive asserted for months with its slogan “The Games finance the Games”, the State and the communities also put their hands in their pockets. By the fall of 2023, they had already invested more than 2.4 billion euros of public money in infrastructure, urban works, but also in the anti-doping laboratory, etc., according to official documents.

The total bill is not yet known. It will be necessary to include in particular the costs linked to public security, and the bonuses distributed to civil servants, primarily the police. “No Olympic tax”, repeated Emmanuel Macron. But there are many expenses linked to the Olympics in the state accounts.

The first president of the Court of Auditors, Pierre Moscovici, recently indicated that public investments could reach between “three” and “five billion euros”. Response after the Olympics.

From free metro to four-euro ticket

The application file provided that “all ticket holders could travel free of charge throughout the Île-de-France network”. This will ultimately not be the case. The decision was taken in December 2022 during the budget review of the organizing committee in order to save money.

Several months later, Ile-de-France Mobility (IDFM), which manages transport in the Ile-de-France region, announced special Olympic pricing: 4 euros per metro ticket, to increase the frequency of lines by 15% during the Olympic Games. . That’s almost double the usual price.
No Olympic swimming in the Olympic pool

One of the only sports structures built for the Paris Olympics is the Olympic Aquatic Center (CAO) of St Denis. But, it will not accommodate swimming. Located opposite the Stade de France, the CAO and its impressive wooden frame will host water polo, diving and synchronized swimming. Indeed, to face the risk of budgetary drift, this building, built with public funds, was resized.

Exit swimming, the king of sports, initially moved to temporary pools adjoining the CAO, then finally to the west of Paris, to the Paris-La Défense Arena.

Environment, from positive to reducing emissions

The organizers announced a “positive” contribution with the idea of ​​offsetting more CO2 emissions than those that will be emitted. This notion was abandoned, criticized by observers for giving the misleading illusion of an environmentally harmless event.

The Cojo’s objective is to halve CO2 emissions compared to the previous Olympics. They are made up of a third for travel, another for construction and a final third for activities directly linked to the Games, according to the Cojo.