Is Paris ready to host the 2024 Olympic Games?

Paris will host the Summer Olympic Games in 2024. Millions of people are expected in the French capital for this sporting event, which is widely followed around the world.

Are the city and its region ready to host the Games? From sports infrastructure to transport and accommodation, the challenges are as important as they are varied.

For Anne Hidalgo, the socialist mayor of Paris, the answer is clear. Questioned on the French program “Quotidien” on the “TMC” channel on November 22, the counsellor declared: “We are not going to be ready”.

The mayor of the capital warned of the transport problem: “there are places where transport will not be ready because there will not be the number of trains nor the frequency needed”.

“We are still in difficulty, already, in daily transport, and we cannot manage to catch up with the level (…) of punctuality, of comfort for Parisians,” added Anne Hidalgo.

As part of the preparation for the Olympics, the Paris town hall has also decided to limit the authorized speed to 50 kilometers/hour on the ring road which surrounds the capital and which represents a significant part of the traffic in the region.

Another point of alert raised by Anne Hidalgo: the “sheltering of homeless people” for the duration of the Games.

The local elected official placed part of the responsibility for the transport situation on the government, even if she recognized that it was joint effort between the State, the region and the City of Paris.

The Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune deplored on 'X' that Anne Hidalgo prefers to "try to create a buzz" in the media rather than "participate in the eight strategic committees on transport to prepare" for the Olympics.

“We would have appreciated the presence of Anne Hidalgo on the mobility committees of the Olympic and Paralympic Games if she has any proposals to make on transport,” said Valérie Pécresse, the president of the Île-de-France region, on 'X'.

When she was interview on the French television channel 'RTL' on November 24, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, did not mince her words against the mayor of Paris, whom she accused of "playing with politics while hiding behind the Games."

Referring to the “teams that are struggling”, the minister added that Anne Hidalgo “discourages thousands of people” with her comments. “We are going to be stronger than that. If we have to deliver the Games without her, and if we have to deliver them in spite of her, we will do it,” she concluded.

Despite the recent controversy, Clément Beaune was optimistic in view of the Olympic deadline. As reported by 'RMC Sport', he estimated that the infrastructure will be ready in time to host the Games.

The minister also recalled that metro line 14 would be extended to the north and south—enough for the 800,000 additional travellers expected to visit the capital next summer.

Beyond the organization of the Games, are we witnessing the birth of a political rivalry in Paris? Clément Beaune does not hide the fact that he has his sights set on City Hall for the next municipal elections, while Anne Hidalgo could run for a third term.

While we wait to find out, we look forward to next summer for what promises to be one of the highlights of international sport. Let's hope that Paris will rise to the challenge!