Olympic Inssider podcast

Paris is aiming to host the most eco-friendly Olympic Games ever, with a goal to halve the event's carbon footprint. However, the opening ceremony may not be as green due to its size and the use of boats. Despite this, the French government has invested over 1 billion euros in cleaning up the river and improving water quality. Safety is also a challenge, with security restrictions in place. Traffic will be limited, and there will be increased prices for transport tickets to encourage people to reduce their use. The majority of sports will be hosted in existing or temporary buildings, and the Olympic Village will prioritize sustainable development. Controversies have arisen, such as the need for babies to have full-price tickets for the opening ceremony. Overall, there is excitement for the 2024 Olympics and curiosity about whether Paris will live up to its promises. Hello and welcome to Olympic Insider, a special edition podcast brought to you by the EDG News Team. C'est parti! I'm Coley and joining me live from the heart of Paris, the city of light, as it's proposed to host the 2024 Olympic Games, is Anastasia. Enchanté! So over the next few weeks on Olympic Insider, we will be serving some exclusive entries, in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes access to everything Olympic. Get ready for the Games like never before! Stay tuned for our first episode coming up right after this short break. In today's episode, we're exploring the challenges of the opening ceremony, while also delving into the important issue of how major sporting events like the Olympics can embrace a sustainable future. Had you pronounced? Paris will host the most eco-friendly of all-time Olympics. They aim to halve the event's carbon footprint, limiting emissions to 1.75 million tons of CO2. So, Coley, is this different compared to the previous Olympics? Yes, and if compared to previous Olympics such as Tokyo in 2020, Rio in 2016 and London in 2012, which emitted an average of approximately 3.5 million tons of CO2, Paris' initiatives stand out. Yeah, Paris is really trying to be greener, but I guess we can't really say the same about the opening ceremony. Who can blame them? I mean, it's the opening of the Games, it has to do with size. So, tell us more about the ceremony. So, as you know, the opening ceremony will take place on the scene, so that's why it takes a lot of preparation. And I mean, there's going to be 160 boats during the Paris, so that's not something very green, you know? Yeah, that's true. However, I know that more than 1 billion euros have been invested in cleaning up the sand to make the river more swimmable and doesn't hurt water quality. Exactly, yes, the French government is really investing money for these Olympics. And that's understandable given the scale of the event that awaits us. It's nearly 11,000 athletes as well as artists, dancers and holograms are expected just for the opening ceremony. But it's a lot of people coming actually, and I don't even count the tourists coming for the catering. Well, I know that for the opening ceremony, for example, around 300,000 will be attended. So, it's already a big number, but it was heavily reduced due to the security restrictions, as France has been placed on the highest level of vigilance after Moscow attack. So, safety is definitely a challenge, but the organizers are working on that. Yes, I know, and I can also add that the traffic will be limited to ensure greater safety around the area of the game, with some security areas closed each and every street twice. And even the airspace will be completely closed during the opening ceremony. But this can also help for the sustainability goal of this Olympics, right? Yes, this will definitely decrease the traffic in Paris. Also, the Paris tourist office said that 3,000 more pay-as-you-go bikes are going to be available. I also heard a lot of controversy regarding the growing transport ticket price. Yes, you're right. They are going to increase the price by 15% more, since they introduced a limited traffic zone in the city center. So, in this way, they want to encourage people to reduce their use. And always in line with its sustainable policy, 95% of the sports will be hosted in existing spots or temporary buildings. There's also the Olympic Village, right? Yes, the Olympic Village will also be a model of sustainable development through low-carbon, eco-friendly buildings that will use 100% of renewable energy and the enforcement of a zero-waste policy. That's amazing. And can you tell us more examples on where some games are going to take place? Yes, for example, in La Concorde, there are going to be different sports like basketball, cricket, and skateboarding. While in front of the Eiffel Tower, there will be volleyball, beach, and the ballet, the archery. Moving on to the opening ceremony, which controversy arises? Oh, you know, there's a lot, actually. Like the one with the babies. So, they need a full-price ticket to attend the ceremony, which is frustrating because sometimes the babies are born after the parents have bought the tickets. And now they can only buy a ticket for almost 3,000 euros, right? Exactly. So, it's impossible. Another problem was with the bookings. There were campaigns for months against the move from the case because apparently they caused a problem for the view of the ceremony. But in the end, the project was cancelled. Oh la la, so much drama. Anyway, it seems really interesting and we can't wait for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. They have expectations of Stasia. I mean, the French always brag themselves about their infinity qualities. Yeah, you're right. We are a pride nation. And we're also curious to see how this great project will evolve, if they will keep their promises or not. And to find out, stay tuned to the next episode. See you soon!