There’s a lot of chatter these days about how the 2024 Paris Olympics could decide the future of the world’s greatest sporting event. After decades of blown budgets, corruption, and cozying up to dictators, the Olympic Games are at a crossroads; if they don’t get things right in Paris, there might not be much of a fanbase left for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Things probably aren’t as dire as the chatter would suggest. At least the Olympics have returned to a more sustainable venue in Paris, one with most of the required infrastructure already in place – they’re calling the 2024 Games the “greenest in history.” But how well is Paris holding up during these Olympics? What changes have the Games brought to the City of Lights, and what will their lasting impact be, if any?
Let’s take a closer look before betting on any of these numbers at top-rated sportsbooks.
Are the 2024 Games Secure?
Arguably, the biggest challenge for Paris organizers – and any future Olympic host – is security.
France has suffered more than its fair share of terrorist attacks in recent years, prompting the 2024 Games to drastically reduce their planned Opening Ceremony on the River Seine, while also installing a security regime that has turned Paris into one giant military compound.
Results have been mixed. Even before the Opening Ceremony, a sophisticated arson attack on the Paris transit system left upwards of a million people stranded last Friday. But officials were able to stymie the attack on one of the system’s four main arteries; they also reportedly prevented a handful of other potential attacks from bad actors, including neo-Nazis and would-be terrorists of Russian and Chechen origin.
The question is whether this security regime will be scaled down after the Olympics. In theory, the “Big Brother” measures the French government has taken are supposed to be temporary; in reality, at least some of the 40,000-plus metal fences and countless security cameras are likely to remain.
Are the Trains Running in Paris?
Mostly. One day after the arson attack, roughly seven out of every 10 high-speed trains in the Paris region were active, albeit with significant delays.
This is obviously a bit of a nightmare for Paris officials, especially given the added investments they’ve made in transportation infrastructure. This includes a new metro line directly from the Paris-Orly airport to the center of town, as well as additional subway and train routes, all of which will continue to operate after the Games have closed.
Speaking of infrastructure, Paris claims to have had 95% of the required venues already in place, but they still poured in significant resources to update and renovate those venues – including the Georges Vallerey pool, which was built for the 1924 Summer Games.
How will Paris use the remaining 5% of new infrastructure once the Games are gone? Wisely, we hope; for example, the new Olympic Village was built in the district of Seine-Saint-Denis and will be used as housing once the athletes leave – a much-needed development in one of the rougher parts of town.
Is the Water Safe?
Paris isn’t alone in the European Union when it comes to concerns over climate change and water quality.
The city spent well over $1.5 billion to build a “mega-basin” that would help divert sewage away from the Seine; mayor Anne Hidalgo famously went for a swim nine days before the Olympics to prove the river was ready for both the Opening Ceremony and the various competitions involving “open” swimming, like the triathlon.
Then the rains came. This had already caused problems in June, flooding the system and making the river unsuitable for swimming – and the rain started coming down again just before the Games started. Triathlon training was canceled again on Monday, although officials hope the men’s triathlon can still go on Tuesday.
If worst comes to worst, they’ll just turn the triathlon into a duathlon of cycling and running. Meanwhile, all the billions of dollars they’ve poured into the Seine may eventually cleanse the river enough for people to go swimming, something Parisians haven’t seen in their city in the 100 years since the last Olympics. Sacrebleu indeed.
