This is news that should delight the stars of the French basketball team. The organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced on Thursday that they would give up using the Parc des Expos in Paris for the Olympic tournament. This change, justified by technical reasons, comes after a controversy launched by several reigning Olympic vice-champions, who were indignant at the choice of site.
Several stars of the French basketball team have stepped up to the plate in recent days to castigate an unsuitable room. “How can we agree to see basketball, the most popular team sport at the Olympics, being sent to the Expo Park? Ceiling too low, room not suitable”, wrote on Twitter on March 16 Evan Fournier, the back of the New York Knicks known for his frankness. Four days later, Utah Jazz pivot Rudy Gobert quipped about the height of the room: “I’m not going to play in a room where I hit my head when I shoot, so it doesn’t make sense” .
How can we accept to see basketball, the most popular Co sport at the Olympic Games, being sent to the exhibition center?
Ceiling too low, room unsuitable. @Jpsiutat we can’t let this pass!!!
I think I’m dreaming! pic.twitter.com/AAhGsaOjAp— Evan Fournier (@EvanFourmizz) March 16, 2022
Former Sports Minister David Douillet joined the players to say, too, all the harm he thought of this choice. “It’s a total lack of respect, it drives me crazy! […] I find it crazy that we make Games on the cheap”he growled on RMC.
“Paris 2024 and FIBA have been working together for several months on solutions to provide the best competition conditions on the Arena Paris Sud 6 site. [le hall 6 du Parc des Expos], write the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Fiba in a joint press release. MBut the results of the latest technical studies have led Paris 2024 and FIBA not to keep the site, due to the specificities specific to the practice of basketball”.
Lights problem
These are precisely the very latest studies concerning “the light” in particular which did not give satisfaction, specifies the Paris 2024 organizing committee, in particular because of the height of this hall. Initially, the preliminary round of the basketball tournament was planned for the Arena de la Porte de la Chapelle, but the venue was moved to the Parc des Expositions in December 2020 as part of a project review modifying the site map somewhat. to save money. These Parisian Games are intended “more responsible”, in particular using 95% of existing or temporary equipment.
So many criticisms that were badly received by the organizers of the Olympic Games. “The exit of Fournier is the opposite of what the Games represent. The strength of the Games is the diversity of the Games, it is because there is archery as much as basketball. Everyone has to make concessions”, says a source close to the Olympic movement. FIBA and Paris 2024 leave each other “some months” to identify “a new competition site for the preliminary phase, which will meet Olympic requirements while respecting the main principles that guide Paris 2024, in terms of environmental and budgetary responsibility”. The final phases will take place in Bercy, as planned.