After long months of procrastination, the international basketball federation (FIBA) has said « oui » the Paris 2024 project to organize the group phase of the Olympic tournament in Lille (Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d’Ascq). A green light that stays “conditional”with the FIBA Central Office subjecting its final approval to confirmation that its technical requirements are met, “particularly those relating to the health and safety of players and the risks associated therewith”.
For a long time, politically, FIBA seems to have had a cross on the first week in Paris. A subject that had long been a sticking point, FIBA going so far as to ask six months ago that a feasibility study be carried out in Villepinte or Levallois-Perret.
The final phase at Bercy
The question still outstanding is essentially technical and concerns in particular the installation of the air conditioning in such a way as to prevent the parquet from becoming too slippery. For months, expert reports have followed one another without the Organizing Committee’s proposals giving satisfaction to FIBA. The final phase will take place in Bercy.