Paris (AFP)
Despite the immediate proximity of the Tokyo Olympic Games, which end two weeks earlier, the organizers of Euro-2020 athletics in Paris hope for the presence of the stars and are counting on many activities outside the stadium.
Since 2012, the European Athletics Championships have been held every two years, so every other year in the year of the Summer Olympics. Instead of taking place before, this time they will take place after the Games (July 27 - August 9), from August 25 to 30 in Paris.
"Usually, the athletes were afraid of getting injured and could not come, there they will no longer have this concern", tried to reassure the president of the organization Jean Gracia, questioned during a press point on the possibilities of packages of certain stars, exhausted or satiated by the major event of the year in Japan.
"There, either the athlete shone in Tokyo and the Euro is the icing on the cake, or he failed and is given a second chance (...) the Norwegian Karsten Warholm (world champion of the 400 m hurdles) assured us of his coming, for example. "
"We are not immune to an athlete who says to himself + I am an Olympic champion and I am going on vacation to Tahiti +, recognized the director of Paris-2020, Laurent Boquillet. But most cannot afford this choice because a Euro represents a financial bonus in contracts with equipment manufacturers and above all a penalty in case of absence. "
The organization announces that 25% of sales targets have been met since the opening of the ticket office to the general public on October 25 for the competition which will take place mainly at the Charléty stadium in the south of Paris.
To attract the public, the Euro also relies on several events outside the stadium between the holding of concerts, the qualification process for the long jump at the Trocadéro, opposite the Eiffel Tower, and the setting up of a 10 km popular on part of the Championship half-marathon course.
© 2019 AFP