Paris on track for 2024 Olympics, says mayor

Paris is on time and on budget for the 2025 Olympics, the city’s mayor said on Tuesday, dismissing concern expressed recently by a senior Olympics official.

“Look at all the previous Olympics and Paralympics around the world, one year before the Games, generally it’s stressful and people are saying ‘we’ll never manage this’. Well, we’re ready,” mayor Anne Hidalgo told the France Inter radio station on Tuesday.

“We’re on budget and we’re on time.”

During a visit to Paris on Monday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Pierre-Olivier Beckers, who is responsable for monitoring the Paris Games, voiced concern about the work needed to balance the budget.

French authorities chipped in another 111 million euros ($119 million) last December to take into account inflation, taking the overall budget to 4.48 billion euros.

Delays in signing major sponsorship deals, including with French luxury goods giant LVMH, has also left a major question mark about the finances of the event.

“There is still plenty of work to do,” Beckers told reporters.

A provisional report from the French national auditor, revealed by Le Monde newspaper on Monday, said that “substantial uncertainties remain, notably for domestic partnerships.” 

The Games have also become embroiled in a row over ticket pricing, with the high cost of attending many events leading to criticism of organisers amid a cost-of-living crisis in France.