Olympic venues at the Olympics: will Paris finally solve its basketball problem?

The Paris 2024 Board of Directors will meet on Tuesday 12 July, in part to approve a proposal for a new version of the sitemap to be submitted to the IOC. With basketball in Lille, even if the discussions are not over.

Why is basketball ‘homeless’?

Basketball, long planned entirely at the Accor Arena, split in two (qualifiers in hall 6 in Porte de Versailles; finals in Bercy) in June 2018 when the temporary pool moved to the Paris Défense Arena. . Also on this day, handball was sent to Lille to make way for volleyball in room 1 at the Porte de Versailles (its site at Le Bourget, in Saint-Saint-Denis, was razed to the ground). Paris 2024 was thinking about the possibility of organizing three indoor team sports tournaments in the capital, even considering organizing one of them at Roland Garros. Before realizing it.

The Pierre Maurois stadium in Lille has opened. Basketball refused to go there, unlike handball. Then it was time for the first visits to the venues, notably the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in Hall 6. Agreement was given in principle, subject to exploring the possibility of air conditioning and lighting. These studies dragged on, Phoebe got angry. At the end of 2021, this suggests a plan B. In March 2022, with some French players doing their best, Paris 2024 leaves Hall 6.

Where are we ?

The idea to send some basketball to Lille (and therefore repatriate the handball group stage to hall 6 in the Porte de Versailles) came at the beginning of April, while other cities (Lyon, Reims, Orléans) applied. Paris 2024 demanded tweezers to try and convince FIBA ​​to go north. Unsuccessful so far. FIBA wants to stay in Paris and is eyeing the Arena La Chapelle, a basketball hall used for badminton during the Olympics.

A variant that forgoes the Cojo check, advancing the technical limitations of badminton (in particular, the height of the ceiling). Paris 2024 highlights other balances: financial (a sensor in Lille will limit the financial losses from these changes through ticket sales), the overall balance of the Games (allowing handball players to also play in Paris). The problem is that FIBA ​​refuses to give in, asking for studies regarding the movements of the players, the temperature in the Morua stadium (Koho claims that even in case of extreme heat it is possible to play on it) or air conditioning. . She maintains her desire to develop in Paris.

What about the Villepinte website?

By sending boxing to a new venue in Villepinte (Hall 8), Cojo opened a Pandora’s box. Since there are several halls, why not explore the possibility of organizing other sports there? The IOC and FIBA ​​require it. Paris 2024 closes the door given Hall 4 is too small and claims Lille is the “best option”, the only one that limits the financial impact.

As for the general atmosphere, fearing that the Paris circuit will be closed, handball players this weekend came to the fore, asking for a change of handball and basketball. “Without an exchange, it will be impossible to return handball to Paris,” Cojo specifies. “We understand that FIBA ​​needs answers to understand why we are sending them to Lille. The question is also what is the best solution for Paris 2024? In the end, the IOC will decide. However, the CA’s approval of the decision to offer Lille as a basketball court could be interpreted as a forced move.