Paris 2024 Olympic Village welcomes athletes
The Paris Olympic Village officially opened its doors on Thursday, marking the start of an exciting journey for athletes worldwide. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was on hand to inaugurate the village.
With 10,500 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees and the Refugee Olympic Team expected to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games starting on July 26, the majority will be housed in the sprawling 54-hectare site by the Seine River. Additional satellite villages in Chateauroux (shooting), Lille (basketball preliminaries and handball), Marseille (sailing), and Tahiti (surfing) will also accommodate athletes.
Joined by Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee, and Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, chair of the Paris 2024 Coordination Commission, Bach welcomed the athletes to their new home.
"Finally, we are here," he said, lauding the facilities. "It has been a long journey these seven years, but it has been a hugely rewarding one thanks to our friends at the Organising Committee under Tony Estanguet's leadership, who have worked closely with our IOC Coordination Commission led by Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant. We have a wonderful Olympic Village, and all the ingredients for a great Olympic Games are here."
The Olympic Village offers extensive amenities, including a 3,200-seat dining hall, a 24-hour gym, a 3,500-square-meter polyclinic, and a small supermarket. The Paris 2024 Athletes' Commission involved representatives from five continents to provide feedback during the planning and construction phases, ensuring the facilities cater to athletes' needs and allow them to focus on their competitions.
Athletes can unwind and socialise at the Village Club while watching Olympic broadcasts. The "Athlete 365 Space" provides information on IOC support programs, emphasizing issues such as anti-doping and match-fixing, and will host elections for Athlete Commission members.
Post-Games, the Village will transform into a new neighborhood in Seine-Saint-Denis, offering housing, shops, public facilities, workplaces, and green spaces to meet the needs of 6,000 residents and create jobs for 6,000 people. The new community will include 2,500 homes, a hotel, student residences, seven hectares of gardens and parks, 120,000 square meters of office space, and 3,200 square meters of local shops.
Designed to adapt to climate conditions, the Village features plants and water elements in public areas to mitigate climate change effects.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will run from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8.