Guillaume Dominguez / Photo credits: Ben Thouard / AFP
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10:28 a.m., December 8, 2023
While the holding of the surfing event of the 2024 Olympic Games in Tahiti is controversial, particularly after installations damaged corals, the former candidates of the event are standing ready, particularly on the Atlantic Coast. This is the case of the mayor of Pont l’Abbé, Stéphane Le Doaré, who spoke on Europe 1.
Where will the 2024 Olympic surfing event take place? The event, which was to be held in Tahiti, could be canceled on the island after facilities damaged corals. The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, assured that no plan B was envisaged, but the former candidates of the event are ready, in particular the mayors of the Atlantic coast. This is the case of Stéphane Le Doaré, mayor of Pont l’Abbé, president of the community of communes, holder of the file.
“It’s a magnificent site. It is, I think, the most natural site of the five sites which were candidates, knowing that with us, these are modular structures which are to be assembled for the event and which are removed afterwards the event, so the impact on the environment is zero”, underlines Stéphane Le Doaré.
“If we are asked by the end of the year, that gives us 5 months to be ready”
“If we are approached, we will see if technically we can organize ourselves in five months because that requires mobilizing people for competitive issues, etc. This is anticipated. We must nevertheless emphasize that there are who have had three and a half years to prepare. And us, if we are asked by the end of the year, that leaves us more than 5 to 6 months maximum to be ready”, insists the mayor of Pont l’ Abbot at the microphone of Europe 1.
For the moment, the Tahitian government has stopped work on installing the surfing event. The Teahupo’o site, chosen in 2020 and known worldwide for its famous waves and transparent waters, has for months been at the heart of tensions between the Polynesian government, the organizers of the Olympic Games and local residents.