Paris 2024

[Cyriln]

A few days ago, I watched reruns of Paris 2024 on Eurosport and it's incredible how it felt different that this summer.

If you can go to Los Angeles, Brisbane on wherever the Games will take place in the future, just do it. I'm completely unable to describe the mood of living that thing we wish could last forever but has all its value because it is so ephemeral. You have to live it by yourself.

Merci Paris 2024.

 

[AustralianFan]

On 12/30/2024 at 10:36 AM, Gonzo said:

Medals falling apart

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-14232509/French-swimmers-shocking-state-Olympic-bronze-medals-Paris-2024.html

Yes, it’s a crying shame that barely five months after the amazing Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games that these precious medals and hard-earned symbols of extraordinary athletic achievement are deteriorating so quickly.

Several other media outlets including CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports and Bored Panda have been reporting on several athletes, including two French swimmers, who have expressed concern at the poor state of their medals.

[Cyriln]

Here comes a new challenger to be the final home of the cauldron: Hangar Y. Located in Meudon, a few kilometers to the south-west of Paris, built by Gustave Eiffel in 1878, it was the first airship hangar in the world (here's the relationship with the hot air balloon). Refurbished a few years ago, it now hosts business meetings and artistic events.

Maintenance costs are also indicated: 2.5 million euros for the initial recommissioning, 1 million each year for all maintenance costs and 300,000 for each re-inflation of the balloon. Whatever location is chosen, the cauldron should be installed before next summer.

Next artifact: the Olympic rings on the Eiffel tower. It's still planned to install new rings on the tower. The IOC agrees so much that they paid feasibility studies. The main obstacle will be administration, to have all authorizations. It is expected for these rings to be installed before the end of 2025. Meanwhile, another set of rings are installed on the Pont d'Iéna, between the Eiffel tower and the Trocadéro.

Spoiler

Any city that hosted a competition or had a venue, even a training site, can submit a request to the IOC to install Olympic rings in its city (for 15,000€). Rings have already been installed in the Olympic village. Another set is planned to be installed at Parc Georges-Valbon, starting line of the Paralympic marathon and huge celebration site during the Games. Stade de France will, of course, also have its rings, but construction works are already planned and rings will have to wait (and with a new concession agreement expected for this year, who knows what may happen).

https://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/vasque-olympique-esperee-a-meudon-anneaux-sur-la-tour-eiffel-les-symboles-des-jeux-de-paris-bientot-de-retour-01-01-2025-KGJ5DCIARJCXLMBY35L7XGHZFA.php

[AustralianFan]

13 minutes ago, Cyriln said:

Here comes a new challenger to be the final home of the cauldron: Hangar Y. Located in Meudon, a few kilometers to the south-west of Paris, built by Gustave Eiffel in 1878, it was the first airship hangar in the world (here's the relationship with the hot air balloon). Refurbished a few years ago, it now hosts business meetings and artistic events.

Maintenance costs are also indicated: 2.5 million euros for the initial recommissioning, 1 million each year for all maintenance costs and 300,000 for each re-inflation of the balloon. Whatever location is chosen, the cauldron should be installed before next summer.

Next artifact: the Olympic rings on the Eiffel tower. It's still planned to install new rings on the tower. The IOC agrees so much that they paid feasibility studies. The main obstacle will be administration, to have all authorizations. It is expected for these rings to be installed before the end of 2025. Meanwhile, another set of rings are installed on the Pont d'Iéna, between the Eiffel tower and the Trocadéro.

  Reveal hidden contents

Any city that hosted a competition or had a venue, even a training site, can submit a request to the IOC to install Olympic rings in its city (for 15,000€). Rings have already been installed in the Olympic village. Another set is planned to be installed at Parc Georges-Valbon, starting line of the Paralympic marathon and huge celebration site during the Games. Stade de France will, of course, also have its rings, but construction works are already planned and rings will have to wait (and with a new concession agreement expected for this year, who knows what may happen).

https://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/vasque-olympique-esperee-a-meudon-anneaux-sur-la-tour-eiffel-les-symboles-des-jeux-de-paris-bientot-de-retour-01-01-2025-KGJ5DCIARJCXLMBY35L7XGHZFA.php

Excellent news @Cyriln

[cfm Jeremie]

IOC announced today that Tony Estanguet will be proposed as an IOC Member at the IOC Session in March in Greece (this position is one of those "wild cards" by the IOC President). https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-executive-board-proposes-tony-estanguet-for-election-as-ioc-member-at-the-144th-session-in-greece

 

[StefanMUC]

2 hours ago, cfm Jeremie said:

IOC announced today that Tony Estanguet will be proposed as an IOC Member at the IOC Session in March in Greece (this position is one of those "wild cards" by the IOC President). https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-executive-board-proposes-tony-estanguet-for-election-as-ioc-member-at-the-144th-session-in-greece

 

Finally someone who deserves it. Should have been parachuted straight into the boss chair though, in an ideal world.

[sebastien1214]

Well, he seems to be moving away from a political career in France if he takes this position at the IOC. Good news, it would have been a waste for him.

[yoshi]

Might be reading too much into this but is this something usually done for OCOG leaders? If not, does it suggest that he's already being primed for presidency, & that they're now expecting one of the older (not Kirsty) candidates to win, serve one term, then pass to Tony in 2032?

[Sir Rols]

23 minutes ago, yoshi said:

Might be reading too much into this but is this something usually done for OCOG leaders? If not, does it suggest that he's already being primed for presidency, & that they're now expecting one of the older (not Kirsty) candidates to win, serve one term, then pass to Tony in 2032?

I don’t think it’s a rule. Neither Michael Knight (Sydney), Mori (Tokyo) or even Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki (Athens) got it. I think it helps if they come from a sports or IF background like Coe, Nuzman or, now, Tony E.

I think it’s reading too much into it forecasting the future presidency. More, he’s just such an obvious and suitable member.

[baron-pierreIV]

21 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

I don’t think it’s a rule. Neither Michael Knight (Sydney), Mori (Tokyo) or even Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki (Athens) got it. I think it helps if they come from a sports or IF background like Coe, Nuzman or, now, Tony E.

Jean-Claude Killy was another one.  Ueberroth was not invited (not that he wanted or would have accepted) considering the pivotal role he played in saving the Olympic movement; nor Billy Payne of Atlanta 1996.  For the American slot(s), other than Anita de Frantz, they usually give the IOC spot to the head of the USOC (now USOPC) or the head of a sports federation, like James Easton previously -- or on the Athletes' list.  

[Cyriln]

The mystery of the rusting medals has been solved. Due to regulatory changes, a new varnish had to be used and it appears it's not good enough. The problem is not limited to Olympic medals: Huawei, who regularly orders medals to give to its best employees, has returned 12,000 medals. About the Games, more than 100 medals have been returned and they should be replaced in the coming weeks, with the support of a specialized company. Because of that problem, three directors have left the organization.

https://www.lalettre.fr/fr/action-publique_operateurs-de-l-etat/2025/01/13/comment-la-monnaie-de-paris-est-tombee-du-podium-avec-ses-medailles-olympiques,110359982-gel

Meanwhile, at the OCOG... In a report made late December, there were 64 people left. 12 should stay until the formal dissolution of the committee in June. The main activities are leaving parties, administrative tasks and packing all remaining stuff. Including the Phryges: some fans tried to buy costumes, but it has been rejected. Two costumes are in LA28 headquarters. The Olympic museum recently received one. The Seine-Saint-Denis département bought two of them (6500€).

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/les-jeux-olympiques/reportage-mais-tu-travailles-encore-pour-les-jo-avec-les-tout-derniers-salaries-de-paris-2024-entre-nostalgie-et-angoisse-du-vide_6984866.html

[Cyriln]

The cauldron will come back to its initial spot, at the Tuileries, from June 23 (Olympic day) to September 14 (the new national day of sport) and it will come back each year until 2028 at the same dates.

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/les-jeux-olympiques/info-franceinfo-jeux-olympiques-la-vasque-sera-de-retour-a-paris-tous-les-etes-jusqu-aux-jo-de-los-angeles_7047494.html

[yoshi]

Yay! Surely after that it'll be worth having a permanent location - now Macron has announced this rebuild of the Louvre they can make a suitable place for it to live 

[baron-pierreIV]

/\/\  All it'll look like will be a weather balloon -- and not a FAKE Olympic cauldron!! 

 

Edited January 31, 2025 by baron-pierreIV

[Cyriln]

I visited an exhibition at the Paris town hall about last year's Olympics and Paralympics named Les Jours Heureux (the English name of the exhibition seems to be Golden Days, but the literal translation is Happy Days). It mainly displays pictures but also some objects: medals (not rusted), torch, dresses. The entrance is free, but a reservation is needed. It is opened up to March 1.

Spoiler

 

I've been to Paris a few times since the Games ended and I have a strange feeling: each time, the remaining traces of Paris 2024 in the city are disappearing even more (the pink signage, the banners...) but somehow, the Games are still here (that exhibition, the rings in front of the Eiffel tower, the cauldron coming back next summers)...

[Cyriln]

[Sir Rols]

34 minutes ago, Cyriln said:

've been to Paris a few times since the Games ended and I have a strange feeling: each time, the remaining traces of Paris 2024 in the city are disappearing even more (the pink signage, the banners...) but somehow, the Games are still here (that exhibition, the rings in front of the Eiffel tower, the cauldron coming back next summers)...

Yes, the main trappings all get taken down, but it’s funny how that even many years down the track you may still run across remnants. Even 25 years on in Sydney, I still occasionally come upon artefacts - driving along a road and noticing that some of the blue line from the marathon course hasn’t been worn away yet, travelling in a train past a props warehouse and seeing an abandoned OC prop, traffic signs to the velodrome that still display the Sydney 2000 logo. And many cars still sporting the souvenir Sydney 2000 license plates, or the odd person still going around with their volunteer jackets.

[Rob2012]

Brilliant photos @Cyriln 

[Cyriln]

Tony Estanguet comes out of hibernation, just before the IOC session where he will become an IOC member again, and had his first interview of the year. https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/JO/jentre-dans-le-mood-cest-quoi-la-suite-son-avenir-son-retour-au-cio-les-alpes-2030-estanguet-se-livre-16-03-2025-7TCFQ566OREUTAJPLN6CQBRN6A.php

He had a lot of offers (even Sports Minister, twice) but he first wanted to take a break. Now, he still want to do things in sports, but it doesn't have to be as huge as OCOG president.

At the IOC, he wants to help the Games to keep growing. All candidates for the presidency contacted him and he will be available for the new executive team, saying, laughing, that "being an IOC member is not paid and I need a real job".

As a French IOC member, he is also automatically a member of the board of directors of French Alps 2030. He'll be happy to help if needed but he doesn't want to overshadow the current team. He's been asked to continue what he did at Paris 2024 but he thinks it needs to be someone else.

Another thing mentioned in the interview: Thomas Jolly and Thierry Reboul will be in charge of the Bastille Day festivities in Paris.

[baron-pierreIV]

At my French class last Thursday, apparently, a former classmate (who is on her last legs) bequeathed something which I NEVER bothered to buy in all the times I have visited Paree -- a small keychain of the Tour EIffel!!  I couldn't even recall who Marge was -- but my teacher singled me out to receive it.  I considered it an honor!! 

[Cyriln]

The penultimate meeting of board of directors of Paris 2024 took place yesterday (the last one will be in June for the formal dissolution). It was mainly focused on the use of the budget surplus.

The part dedicated to the OCOG (according to the host city contract, IOC and the French NOC will each have 20% of the surplus) will be transferred to the Paris 2024 endowment fund with three targets:

• the celebration of Paris 2024, with the comeback of the cauldron and festivities on 26 July
• continue the projects promoting sport activities: Olympic and Paralympic week, Olympic day, Paralympic day, job dating...
• support the athletes.

https://www.lequipe.fr/Tous-sports/Actualites/Le-fonds-de-dotation-de-paris-2024-pilotera-l-excedent-de-26-8-m-et-8364/1549741

[sebastien1214]

25 minutes ago, Cyriln said:

The penultimate meeting of board of directors of Paris 2024 took place yesterday (the last one will be in June for the formal dissolution). It was mainly focused on the use of the budget surplus.

The part dedicated to the OCOG (according to the host city contract, IOC and the French NOC will each have 20% of the surplus) will be transferred to the Paris 2024 endowment fund with three targets:

• the celebration of Paris 2024, with the comeback of the cauldron and festivities on 26 July
• continue the projects promoting sport activities: Olympic and Paralympic week, Olympic day, Paralympic day, job dating...
• support the athletes.

https://www.lequipe.fr/Tous-sports/Actualites/Le-fonds-de-dotation-de-paris-2024-pilotera-l-excedent-de-26-8-m-et-8364/1549741

I note that we learn in the article that there will be a "celebration" on July 26, 2025, which is therefore added to the July 14 parade organized by Thomas Jolly & Thierry Reboul. It seems that we had not innovated and created enough things during the Olympics, since even after the Olympics we continue to innovate with this concept of post-Olympic ceremonies.

[Sir Rols]

13 minutes ago, sebastien1214 said:

I note that we learn in the article that there will be a "celebration" on July 26, 2025, which is therefore added to the July 14 parade organized by Thomas Jolly & Thierry Reboul. It seems that we had not innovated and created enough things during the Olympics, since even after the Olympics we continue to innovate with this concept of post-Olympic ceremonies.

I think most hosts do a one year anniversary celebration of their games (and then significant anniversaries - 5 years, 10 years, 25 years etc) after that. So not really an innovation.

Sydney had big celebrations planned for September 15 2001. But then 9/11 happened four days before, so it became a much smaller, muted affair.

Edited March 26, 2025 by Sir Rols

[sebastien1214]

3 minutes ago, Sir Rols said:

I think most hosts do a one year anniversary celebration of their games (and then significant anniversaries - 5 years, 10 years, 25 years etc) after that. So not really an innovation.

Sorry

Yes, I'm sure that all the other cities have already done it (I hope?); it was more a slightly funny way of saying that we never get tired of ceremonies in France and that we have collectively decided to stay stuck in 2024 (mind you, it's not a bad idea at the moment)

[Cyriln]

Just now, sebastien1214 said:

we never get tired of ceremonies in France

It might be the 3rd "5th ceremony" after the flame in Marseille and the parade at the Champs-Élysées.