The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, expressed today his confidence in the preparation of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which he considered an opportunity for hope in a global scenario of tensions.
In an interview with the newspaper Le Monde, he considered that the various organizational issues for the summer event scheduled in four months’ time were well anticipated.
“After the recent visit of the IOC coordination commission, the reports I received are positive,” he stressed. In a world of aggression, hatred and confrontation, Paris 2024 constitutes “something positive, a sign of hope,” which is in people’s hearts, he added.
Regarding the concerns that have circulated in recent months about the cost of tickets for the competitions, the leader denied the thesis that they correspond to a privileged public, claiming that the average prices are similar to those of the London 2012 Olympic Games, despite inflation.
One million tickets at less than 24 euros were put on sale; half of the seats at less than 50 and 90 percent of the total at less than 200, he added.
Bach also addressed the issue of the Seine River, epicenter of the event under the five rings, since the opening ceremony will take place there and triathlon and open water swimming events are planned.
The pollution of the river, whose banks have been part of the world heritage since 1991, has generated concerns and controversies, with competitions cancelled because of the problem.
The IOC president welcomed the goal of allowing people to swim in its waters again and announced his intention to attend the men’s triathlon event on July 30.
