Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has he “sealed” Tahiti’s candidacy for the organization of surfing events at the 2024 Olympic Games? By specifying that he preferred an option “close to the center of the Games”, the boss of the Olympic institution has in any case damn cooled the ardor of the Parisian Organizing Committee (Cojo).
In his desire to “break the codes”, the latter watched with certain attention the Tahitian candidacy, born after the arrival of Polynesian political leaders in Paris a few months ago. A candidacy pushed by the international surfing association whose ambition is to maintain surfing on the Olympic program after 2024, in particular by guaranteeing the success of the events.
In addition to Tahiti and its mythical waves, four sites have submitted an application: Hossegor-Seignosse-Capbreton (Landes), Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Lacanau (Gironde), associated with Bordeaux-Métropole and La Torche (Finistère). During the summer, the sites were all visited by the technical teams of the organizing committee, who will now write reports, the final decision not being taken before the end of 2020.
“Proposing different games”
“The choice is now in the hands of the Organizing Committee, politely explains Thomas Bach. But I said it in June in Lausanne and I haven’t changed my mind: my personal opinion is that if you have two or more applications, of the same sporting level, I clearly prefer the option which is close from the center of the Games so that athletes and spectators can enjoy the atmosphere of the Olympics. »
If, officially, the decision is indeed up to the Paris 2024 committee, the opinion of the CIO counts enormously. This one had thus strongly weighed in the choice of the Cojo to integrate the breakdance in its program.
The subject may be raised during the interview, this Friday afternoon at the headquarters of Paris 2024, between Tony Estanguet, the boss of the organization, Christophe Duby, executive director of the Olympic Games at the IOC and Pierre-Olivier Beckers. -Vieujant, the president of the coordination commission. But the postcard setting and Paris 2024’s desire to “offer different Games” will probably not be enough to change Thomas Bach’s mind.