PARIS.- In the midst of all the commotion in anticipation of the Olympic Games 2024the organizers and officials of the City Council of the Paris city They inaugurated on Sunday the first—and only—exclusive venue in the French capital for the fair, which is located in a working-class and multicultural neighborhood.
The Adidas Arena in Porte de la Chapelle — among the poorest areas of Paris — is ready and “operational” five months before the Games begin, officials said. And it has been promoted as a sign that the city is ready and committed to the worldwide sports community and its residents.
The venue will host badminton and rhythmic gymnastics events during the 2024 Olympics and is expected to be part of efforts to revitalize local communities. For the Paralympics, you will receive the badminton and weightlifting events.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, indicated Sunday that she feels “proud” that the area that was once described as a “forbidden zone” is beginning to be transformed. “Before they started making fun of us,” she said. “Change is possible.”
The inauguration represented an achievement given the problems during its construction. The venue, which cost 138 million euros ($150 million) and required 1,500 tons of steel, required organizers to secure materials from alternate sources due to supply problems due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Officials called the venue a symbol of the city’s desire to host “sustainable” games that were built with recycled materials and wood, as well as a sustainable roof. In addition, it will be the first arena of its kind in France with a “sensory room” for people with “cognitive disorders.”
House of various disciplines in Paris:
Named the Adidas Arena due to the lucrative deal worth €2.8 million (€3 million) a year with the sportswear brand, the venue can seat 8,000 spectators for a host of sporting events and live performances.
It will also be home to the Paris basketball club.
In recent years this place has been home to hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers who live in deplorable conditions in makeshift camps and who have been evicted by the police on multiple occasions.
The organizers of the games opted against building several multi-purpose venues as in previous games. Other constructions for the 2024 Games include the Olympic Village, which will host nearly 15,000 athletes and officials, as well as the swimming pool. Both are located on the outskirts of Paris in a suburb north of the city.
Source: AP
