IOC Executive Board approves Paris 2024 venue proposal

PARIS - The International Olympic Committee Executive Board on Wednesday approved Paris 2024's proposal of assigning Place de la Concorde for urban sports and Teahupo'o site in Tahiti for surfing events.

The venues were approved by the Paris 2024 Executive Board on December 12, 2019, before being proposed to the IOC.

Place de la Concorde is an iconic square at the heart of Paris, linking the Champs-Elysees to the Tuileries Gardens, and it will become a spectacular city-center arena for the Games, showcasing Paris' heritage and offering exceptional images for viewers and spectators around the world.

"Fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020's the New Norm, the unique venue concept of a temporary multi-sport venue in the heart of the city is expected to cost- and operationally efficient. This once again exemplifies Paris' commitment to Olympic Agenda 2020 and its New Norm," IOC wrote in a statement.

Teahupo'o is a village on the southwestern coast of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, in the southern Pacific Ocean, which is well-known for the surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore. It is the site of the annual Billabong Pro Tahiti surf competition, part of the World Championship Tour of the World Surfing League.

IOC said that the decision "followed an in-depth review of the venue to ensure that a stringent environmental framework would be used and the best sporting conditions would be met".

The choice of the Teahupo'o site is also widely approved by French people. According to a market research carried out by IFOP for Paris 2024 with a representative sample of French people around 74 percent of French people think that Tahiti is a good choice. The approval ratings for this decision were even higher among young people aged 15 to 25 (79 percent).

"The Teahupo'o concept will make it possible to promote and preserve the island's exceptional environment while leaving a legacy that takes the local community's needs into consideration," The Paris 2024 organizers said.