Paris (AFP)
The island of Tahiti is favorite to become the scene of the surfing events at the Olympics of Paris-2024, even if the game is not definitively played, sources concordant told AFP.
The subject could be raised by the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (Cojo) Paris-2024 at the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne (3-5 December), said these sources close to the record .
"If the IOC validates the project, the choice of Tahiti could be adopted at the next board of directors of the Cojo, December 12", told AFP one of the sources. Contacted, the Cojo did not comment.
Four other sites are candidates to host the 48 surfers who will compete in the shortboard events in 2024, including three in the south-west (Biarritz, Lacanau and Hossegor-Seignosse-Capbreton) and one in Brittany (La Torche).
But Tahiti would cumulate the benefits, thanks to its mythical wave, Teahupoo, "an argument club," according to one of the sources. In the eyes of stakeholders, "the certainty of having waves in August is greater there," says another interlocutor, who points out, in addition, that the state sees a good eye the organization of a test in overseas, "so that the Games are those of all France", and that the city of Paris does not oppose it.
- "nothing is decided" -
Remains to convince the IOC, whose boss, Thomas Bach, said he prefers, between "two or more applications of the same sporting level", "the option that is close to the center of the Games."
The other candidates, some of whom are expecting a decision before the end of the year, do not admit defeat. "The Cojo assures us that nothing is decided, we continue to work, besides there are still technical meetings planned for the next days for the sites, on the carbon footprints" for example, underlines the deputy mayor de Biarritz delegate for surfing and snow sports, Laurent Ortiz.
The boss of the Cojo, Tony Estanguet, was in Biarritz Friday, officially to present the measures of Paris-2024 to combat sedentariness and encourage the French to practice more physical activity.
Uncertainties have also emerged on the holding of mountain bike events on the hill of Elancourt (Yvelines), a site defended by elected Yvelines, the Ile-de-France region, and the patron of the Union Cycliste International (UCI) David Lappartient, but which raises environmental issues, trees to be felled to develop the track. In addition, the legacy left after the Games on the ground does not convince all stakeholders, sources told AFP.
"We will give them time and ask them to review the file," said one of these actors.
The final map of the Paris-2024 sites, most of which are decided, should be finalized by the end of 2020.
© 2019 AFP