#Macron #concerned #Paris #Olympics
French President Emmanuel Macron holds a ministerial meeting on Monday to address issues overshadowing preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics, almost two years before the sporting extravaganza begins.
The Olympics should be a centerpiece of the newly re-elected Macron’s second term, projecting an image of a France comfortable with its modern identity but open to the world.
But two years before the opening ceremony on July 26, 2024, concerns are growing not only about the costs but also about the safety preparations.
France’s reputation as a reliable host of sporting events has taken a toll on the chaos that overshadowed the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid on May 28 in Paris, which critics have blamed on stubborn policing.
Particularly disturbing is the ambitious vision of an opening ceremony, which should not take place in the athletics stadium as usual, but as a flotilla on the Seine, in the typical Macron guise.
Monday’s meeting at the Elysee Palace will be attended by key ministers such as Home Secretary Gerald Darmanin and Sport Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera.
It will be an opportunity for ministers “to take note of where there are weaknesses,” said a French presidential official, who asked not to be named.
“The idea is to be aware of the calendar and the next stages.”
Not included are Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Paris Region boss Valerie Pecresse, who were both unsuccessful candidates in April’s presidential election and issued a joint statement on Friday complaining about their exclusion.
The Olympic organizing committee COJO has a budget of four billion euros, as does its partner organization SOLIDEO, which is tasked with setting up the peripheral infrastructure.
But rising inflation means savings have to be made, and so far not enough sponsors have been found to fill the gaps.
“Everything is very tight on the budget,” said a source close to the issue, who asked not to be named, saying the scale of the challenge will become clear in the fall.
– ‘It’s urgent’ –
Security is a particular concern given that the vision of the Games is to hold many events in central Paris. These include events centered around the Eiffel Tower and the central Place de la Concorde, which is close to the President’s Elysée Palace.
In addition to the French security forces, over 20,000 private security guards will need to be hired to ensure the Games can take place.
France’s top audit authority, the Cour des Comptes, has warned in a report that it is “essential” to speed up preparations to deal with the “significant” security challenge.
“A more precise definition of security needs is becoming urgent,” says the report, the first version of a study to be published later this year. It was first revealed by Canard Enchaine Weekly and then seen by AFP.
The report also suggests downsizing the opening ceremony, with an armada of 200 boats and about 600,000 spectators.
Around 10 million spectators are expected in total, but projects to improve Paris’ sometimes ailing transport infrastructure, notably with two new metro lines, will not be ready when the games start.
The games will present a unique challenge. The flagship athletics and swimming events are set to take place in Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris, one of France’s lowest-income areas, and a cluster of events in the center of the capital.
Sailing events take place across the country in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, while surfing takes place on the other side of the world in the Pacific Territory of French Polynesia.
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