Paris 2024: Basketball on the reels of the 2024 Olympics, it’s still stuck

It goes around the circle, but I still don’t want to enter. The disagreement between the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee and the FIBA ​​of the International Basketball Federation is clearly serious. The General Assembly, which brought together various Olympic sports federations on Wednesday, was a new and complex scene of interaction with a view to the next Olympic basketball tournament. Originally planned for Hall 6 of the Parc de Expo, which caused a strong reaction, the contest should have been able to find a shelter in Stade Pierre Maurois in Lille. However, FIBA ​​does not seem to be convinced by this Plan B, to put it mildly.

“”We respectfully raise concernsFIBA ​​Executive Secretary Andreas Zagklis started. […] I think we need to respect the minimum requirements of athletes, not current athletes, as in the last Olympics. I’m talking about being able to stay in the Olympic Village in Paris in one hour instead of three hours from the Olympic venue.“Therefore, playing a basketball game in Lille like the Euro in 2015 corresponds to a team on the premises outside the village of Saint-Doni, or is energy-intensive (and less environmentally friendly). Means you have to travel by bus (not).

Literally and figuratively slippery ground

Another concern already raised by the International Handball Federation is that the Stade Pierre Mauroy reel suffers from poor air conditioning, which can cause problems of condensation, and thus high humidity, especially on the ground. ..

Implicitly, FIBA ​​does not hide the desire for competition to remain in the French capital, but the ceiling height may be low, except under the conditions of Hall 6 of the exhibition center. The Hall of Porto de la Villette is brand new and was aimed at basketball in Paris at the time, but it can be seen as an alternative, but now it is aimed at badminton. And the federation has lost patience due to trial and error in Paris 2024 OCOG. “Twenty-five months after the Olympics, the fourth, and preferably the last, combination is still missing.” Frustrated Andreas Zagris against Tony Estanguet.

The leader also mentioned the possibility of the absence of a star basketball player for competition if it was unsuccessful. “”Our request is reasonableHe estimated. Working together, we can resolve this concern about the participation of the best basketball players on the planet in the Paris tournament.“”

Between this pressure and the need to curb rising costs, Tony Estanguet sought to serve the interests of all without defending his position. “Everyone wants to play in the heart of Paris, the best arena at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. We respect your concerns. We can assure you that basketball is important and popular in France. But we need to adapt and maintain ambitions according to budget limits. This is why we are studying the best compromises together. We want to maintain the balance of the sport. We are also here. We want to offer the French people something ambitious in terms of basketball abilities. “