At its meeting on Wednesday 30 September 2020 chaired by Tony Estanguet, the Paris 2024
Board of Directors adopted the main orientations that have been under discussion for several
months by the Organising Committee and all those involved in the project. Reflecting a united
vision and a shared desire to adapt the project to take into account the current situation, the
decisions made will help to create some room for manoeuvre in the budget while also
bolstering the core values championed by Paris 2024, in particular the strong community
focus in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Optimise the Paris 2024 project and protect its identity
In these unprecedented and uncertain times, Paris 2024 is keen to act responsibly by creating room for
manoeuvre in its budget in order to uphold its commitment to control costs and deliver the Games within
the initial budget of €3.8 billion while continuing to champion the values that form its identity:
• Environmentally friendly, especially by halving carbon emissions generated by previous Games
• Socially beneficial, with a strong community focus in Seine-Saint-Denis
• Sport and athletes at the heart of the project, with a unique celebration of sport
Paris 2024 has reviewed the project, taking a three-pronged approach to optimise its organisation – the
number of venues, the level of services provided during the Games and non-event locations. It is in the first
of these three areas, regarding the development of event venues, that the Board of Directors has agreed
new proposals today.
Advocating existing venues
The Board of Directors, having been asked to consider ways of better exploiting existing venues, agreed to:
• do away with two temporary venues – the Acquatics Stadium and the Le Bourget Arena.
Consequently, the Swimming and Water Polo finals will be held in the Paris La Défense Arena and
the Volleyball will take place in an existing venue;
• no longer use the Stade Jean-Bouin, and therefore move the Rugby Sevens events to the Stade de
France;
• use the Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Lille) as an Arena;
• optimise the configuration of the venue at Place de la Concorde;
• the transfer of the climbing site to Le Bourget and the creation of a permanent legacy site, the
project of which will be studied with all the players concerned.;
• reduce the number of football stadia used, from 8 to 7;
• confirm the venue at Colline d’Elancourt for the Mountain Bike Cycling events;
• optimise the Paralympic Games concept by applying the revised Olympic Games concept.
These decisions will be subject to the definitive approval of the International Federations, the IOC and the
IPC, with which Paris 2024 maintains constant dialogue.
Placing Seine-Saint-Denis at centre stage
The revised concept bolsters the central position the project affords to Seine-Saint-Denis. It will still host
the same number of Olympic events, but will no longer require the use of two temporary venues that add
nothing in terms of legacy.
Regular communication with all stakeholders involved has even made it possible to go one step further, as
it has been decided to build an additional permanent sports facility in the area, and left as a legacy.
These decisions back up the major resolutions made since the bid stage to embed the Games in the heart
of Seine-Saint-Denis. It is in this area that the Athletes’ and Media Villages will be built, before they are
transformed into housing at the end of the Games, along with the Olympic Aquatics Centre, which will be
left to the local community, school children and sports clubs. Seine-Saint-Denis will also host the athletics,
the most high profile and popular Olympic sport. Furthermore, it is here that Paris 2024 will base its
headquarters.
With over 80% of public Solideo investment earmarked for this area, representing a total of nearly €1 billion,
Seine-Saint-Denis continues to stand out as the main beneficiary of the Paris 2024 Games.
Taking decisions that leave behind an enduring legacy
In a conscious effort to respond to the challenges thrown up by the current situation and leave an enduring
legacy that will have a positive impact in sport and society in general, the Board of Directors also agreed the
guiding principles for the Paris 2024 endowment fund. Put together following unprecedented collective
mobilisation, the fund seeks to heighten the social impact of sport by supporting a number of national and
local projects that harness sport to drive social innovation.
The Board of Directors also approved the creation of the Academy, the official Paris 2024 training body, to
enable all those involved in organising the Games (employees, volunteers and service providers) to expand
their knowledge and develop the skills they need to make the event a success and officially recognise the
learnings drawn from the experience. Set up in collaboration with the French National Olympic and Sports
Committee and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, the Paris 2024 Academy will also help to
boost sporting performance by also offering a complete training package.
Furthermore, the Board of Directors approved the Paris 2024 purchasing strategy. Applicable to 100% of the
purchases made by the Organising Committee, i.e. €2.5 billion, the strategy favours socially and
environmentally innovative businesses. The circular economy is at the heart of the strategy, in order to
promote eco-design, minimise waste, factor in the end of life or the post-Games transition of all products
and contribute to making the Games carbon neutral and environmentally friendly. The responsible
purchasing strategy will also promote proposals that enhance the economic integration of vulnerable
populations and create long-term economic, social and environmental value in the regions.
Paris 2024 press contacts
Alexandre Villeger – +33 7 50 97 37 32 – avilleger@paris2024.org
Christophe Proust – +33 6 21 60 32 69 – cproust@paris2024.org
Mathilde Renoir – +33 6 10 86 57 96 – mrenoir@paris2024.org
Anne-Solène Roudel – +33 6 73 07 87 61 – asroudel@paris2024.org
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