Planning the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Marie Delaplace and Pierre-Olaf Schut

The organisation of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was the subject of many promises, but also much criticism. So, what’s the real verdict? This book presents the first objective and scientific analysis of how this mega-event was planned and its legacy built ex ante.

Planning the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the first scientific work devoted to the Paris 2024 Games, analyses the organisation of the Games and the construction of their social, environmental, economic and infrastructural legacy in light of the intentions announced by the organisers at the time of their bid. Under the direction of Marie Delaplace, Emeritus Professor of Urban Planning and Development, and Pierre-Olaf Schut, Professor of Sports History, this interdisciplinary book was co-authored by around twenty sports sociologists and historians, urban planners and regional economists from Université Gustave Eiffel (Lab’URBA, Comparative Power Analysis Laboratory), Université de la Polynésie Française, Université Polytechnique des Hauts-de-France and the University of Lisbon.

An initial report on how the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were planned

Structured into ten chapters, the book covers various aspects of the organisation of the Paris Olympics, but is not exhaustive. After examining the legacy of Paris' previous bids for the 2008 and 2012 Games - which provided almost all the facilities needed for Paris 2024 - the book questions the founding ambitions of the French bid. In particular, it analyses the commitment to offer a more sustainable, inclusive and parity-based Games. The authors also look at the influence of the Games on the image of Seine-Saint-Denis, the subject of reuse and the economic model for facilities, using the example of the whitewater river in Vaires-sur-Marne and the controversy surrounding the judges' tower for the surfing events in Teahupo'o.

A unique collection of data

The well-documented book is based on brand-new and original data gathered as a result of work carried out through the Observatory for Research on Mega-Events. Launched in 2017 with the support of I-Site FUTURE and the Urban Futures Labex, this research programme led to fruitful collaborations with the City of Paris, the Departments of Seine-Saint-Denis and Seine-et-Marne and the Olympic Games Organising Committee.

The interview was conducted by the agency Kogito.