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Paris 2024 is on track to welcome the world and deliver an exceptional Games vision
Friday, March 8, 2024:
Like athletes around the globe who are preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games, Paris 2024 is diligently working towards reaching peak performance this summer. With the Organising Committee refining planning and midway through final readiness exercises, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission heard that everything is on track to welcome the Olympic Movement to France.
This was the final Coordination Commission meeting before the Games, during which it was confirmed that the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will begin at 19:30 local time (CEST) on 26 July.
Following the conclusion of meetings, the Coordination Commission Chair, Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, reflected on progress. He said: “Paris 2024 is on track to deliver their exceptional Games vision. With the continued support of stakeholders, they are incredibly focused on what’s ahead and on the ultimate goal of delivering spectacular, impactful, and sustainable Games.”
He continued: “This vision will begin to materialise with the start of the Olympic Torch Relay, which begins in just over a month. As we enter this final phase, the Relay will serve as a catalyst, marking a key milestone of the operational activities for the Organising Committee, but also amplifying engagement and excitement, which continues to grow as we draw nearer to the Games.”
Beckers-Vieujant concluded that Paris 2024 is shaping up to be an exemplary model for future Games in various aspects, including wide-reaching engagement initiatives and new approaches fully in line with the reforms of the Olympic Agenda 2020, that will make them younger, more urban, more sustainable and more inclusive. These will be the first-ever Olympic Games with gender parity – the exact same number of places allocated to female and male athletes by the IOC – a milestone celebrated today on International Women’s Day.
While acknowledging there is still important work to be done, all stakeholders expressed a collective sense of determination to deliver a truly unforgettable and transformative Olympic and Paralympic experience at a moment when the world longs for an opportunity to come together for an occasion that inspires hope and joy.
Anticipation is already growing. This was further boosted during recent activities, including the reveal of the iconic posters earlier this week, the handover of the Olympic Village last week, and the reveal of the Olympic and Paralympic medals at the beginning of February.
Throughout this week’s discussions, there was acknowledgment of the important progress achieved so far, but also recognition of areas of focus over the coming weeks. Final testing is underway, with 15 test events and activities remaining, putting all the people who will deliver the Games, as well as processes and infrastructure, to the test. Other key tasks remaining include training the Games-time workforce and around 45,000 volunteers, as well as finalising detailed operating plans to ensure the seamless enjoyment of the Games and the smooth functioning of the host and co-host cities.
While the Commission expressed strong confidence in Paris 2024’s preparations, there was also an opportunity to reflect on the wide-reaching Games legacy initiatives that are already delivering results. These include Paris 2024’s flagship “30 minutes” project, which now sees two million French primary schoolchildren doing 30 minutes of physical activity every day, and the 1,100 sports-led social impact projects throughout France that have benefitted from around EUR 50 million from the Paris 2024 Endowment Fund.
Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet said: “With just 60 days until the Olympic flame arrives in France, it is more important than ever for the Paris 2024 teams to remain humble and focused. The past three days have been a valuable opportunity to review all those details that will make the difference.
“We thank the IOC Coordination Commission for their rigour, guidance, and these positive words. With the keys to the Olympic and Paralympic Village already in our hands, we go into this final straight with confidence – on time, on track, and proud that we have been able to maintain our ambition through all the challenges of the past seven years. We know the whole world is looking to us to deliver something special this summer.”
In addition to attending meetings at Paris 2024’s headquarters, members had the opportunity to tour two facilities – the Olympic Village and the Arena Porte de la Chapelle, which was holding a badminton test event in conjunction with the French Open. This first-hand experience offered insights into the high level of operational and team readiness within these newly-completed venues, which are the exception for a Games where 95 percent of the facilities being used are existing or temporary.
The badminton test event is just one of numerous sports qualification competitions taking place globally in the weeks ahead. With nearly 55 percent of the athlete quota places now allocated – to 5,779 athletes* – this is further evidence that the Games are quickly approaching.
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 begin on 26 July and will continue until 11 August. Thereafter, the Paralympic Games will take place from 28 August until 8 September.
*News provided by IOC.
