Paris (AFP)

The choice of the surf site at the Paris-2024 Olympics is Thursday on the menu of a board of directors (CA) of the organizing committee of the Olympics (Cojo), where Tahiti could be inducted, according to concordant sources interviewed by AFP.

The Polynesian island, stage of the men's pro circuit, is competing with three sites in the south-west (Biarritz, Lacanau and Hossegor-Seignosse-Capbreton) and one in Brittany (La Torche), to accommodate the 48 surfer and surfer who will compete in shortboard events in 2024.

But according to sources close to the Board, Tahiti is the favorite thanks to the guarantees offered by its waves during the period of the Games (26 July-11 August 2024) and despite the distance from Paris (15,000 km ).

Asked by AFP, the Cojo, chaired by Tony Estanguet, confirmed that the topic was on the agenda of the meeting Thursday, without further comment. The Board brings together all the stakeholders of the Games (Cojo, CIO, State, communities, sports movement).

According to several sources close to the Board, who requested anonymity, a deliberation could be adopted to enthrone Tahiti.

In addition to the quality of the waves, the state has a good eye to the idea of ​​involving Overseas in the organization of the Olympics, and the city of Paris does not object, said one from his sources to AFP. But last week, on the sidelines of an executive committee of the International Olympic Committee (CIO), Tony Estanguet had explained that the board of directors was not "forced to make a decision" on Thursday, Paris-2024 having until the end 2020 to definitively stop the map of competition venues.

Friday, the city of Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) was moved by "untruths" and a "choice that seems already established", while press articles suggesting that Tahiti is a favorite have multiplied. The deputy mayor of the city in charge of surfing, Laurent Ortiz, has highlighted the proximity of the Biarritz site with Paris "and a very low impact, both environmental and financial".

Surfing is part of the additional sports of the Olympic program at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and the Cojo de Paris-2024 has also included it among four additional sports (climbing, surfing, breakdance, skateboard), a list that the IOC must validate late 2020.

© 2019 AFP