The IOC is in Paris. In small groups, with discretion. But he is present. A delegation from the Olympic organization left its cases at INSEP, in the Bois de Vincennes, Monday April 8. She must stay two days.
At the head of the procession, Pierre-Olivier Beckers, the president of the coordination commission for the 2024 Games, Christophe Dubi, the director of the Olympic Games, Kit McConnell, the sports director. Reason for visit: a new “project review” of the preparation for the Paris 2024 Games. The third in the series. The previous one was held last December. The next one is announced for the month of June. A work meeting, without fuss or glitter. Serious.
On the agenda, a large number of subjects. Let us cite, briefly, the additional sports chosen last month by the organizing committee (climbing, surfing, skateboarding and breakdancing), the marketing plan, the launch of major construction sites, the legacy...
Mindful of the timing, the COJO prepared the ground by presenting, last Thursday, a study estimating at 150.000 the number of jobs “mobilized” (and not created) by the Paris 2024 Games in the sectors of events, construction and tourism. The IOC appreciated it.
Tony Estanguet and his team also took care of the work by revealing on Monday, on the first day of this project review, the results of the second edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Week at school. The national operation, organized from February 4 to 9, 2019, displays impeccable student figures. In total, 1.300 projects (500 in 2018), 180.000 young people raised awareness (80.000 last year), 1.500 schools mobilized in 475 towns throughout the country. The IOC appreciated it.
Nothing very spectacular is to be expected on the additional sports file. The OCOG Paris 2024 presented its choice last month to the IOC Executive Board. It was validated without changing a comma. Thomas Bach, in particular, welcomed the arrival of breakdancing as a connoisseur. The project review will follow the same direction.
The disappointed can resign themselves. Karate, especially. Its most vindictive leader, the Spaniard Antonio Espinos, president of the international and European Federations of the discipline, will be received in a private interview on Wednesday April 10 by Roxana Maracineanu, the Minister of Sports. A new approach doomed to failure.
On the question of marketing, the OCOG can finally present its new recruit to the IOC delegation. Marlène Masure, formerly EA Sport, Pepsico and Disney, was recruited at the end of March as director of business development and marketing. She replaces Frédéric Longupée, the COJO's first choice, who quickly left for the Girondins de Bordeaux.
The void is filled. It was time. But the marketing file promises to be delicate. Last week, Le Parisien revealed a letter sent to Tony Estanguet by Anne Hidalgo. The mayor of Paris recalls the commitments made during the application phase, particularly on the environmental level. “ We therefore imagined and carried out the carbon neutral Games project together., she writes. Above all, Anne Hidalgo takes the opportunity to raise awareness among the head of the Games. on the need to apply our common ambitions to the OCOG’s ongoing selection of private sponsors. »
The mayor of Paris does not mention it in her letter, but her letter targets the company Total. After the banking group BPCE, the first private partner of the Paris 2024 Games, engaged in the adventure since last year, Total is regularly cited with the FDJ as one of the next two sponsors of the Paris 2024 Games.
Obviously, Anne Hidalgo doesn’t want it. In view of the 2020 municipal elections, the mayor of Paris wants to improve her image as an environmental activist. “ It would be very difficult for our fellow citizens to understand if companies were selected whose activity would have a heavy impact on the environment, based in particular on the massive use of carbon-based energies. she wrote to Tony Estanguet.
The choice of private partners for the Paris 2024 Games is not subject to the approval of the OCOG Board of Directors. Tony Estanguet and his team therefore have free rein. It is hard to imagine them giving up a contract with one of the flagships of French industry. It seems equally improbable that the IOC would advise them to turn their backs on the Total group. However, an open conflict with the mayor of Paris would have disastrous effects.
