A compromise has been reached in the dispute over the surfing competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The medals will be awarded as planned at the famous Teahupoo spot in Tahiti, but the Paris Games organizing committee has decided not to build a controversial aluminum tower for judges and other officials. The Polynesian government, state representatives and organizers announced this on Friday. “Considering the study of the different scenarios and the priorities shared by the different stakeholders, the project of a new, sober, heavily redesigned and reduced in size and weight tower was assessed as the best scenario,” they announced in their joint statement.
The corals would “not be harmed,” is the promise
The fishing village of Teahupoo, world-famous for its waves and crystal-clear waters, has been at the center of tensions for weeks between the local government, locals and Paris 2024 organizers. Environmental groups took to the barricades against the construction of the aluminum tower because it was theirs According to the opinion, it would damage the seabed and affect the biodiversity of the place. The organizers therefore reconsidered their plan and decided on a lighter tower in order to keep the environmental impact “as low as possible”.
The weight of the tower will now be nine instead of 14 tons, and the footprint will correspond to that of the old wooden tower. The power cable will be dismantled after the games and the tower will no longer be connected to drinking and wastewater supplies, the statement said. The promise was that the corals would “not be harmed.” “At a certain point you have to make a decision. That also means taking responsibility,” said Moetai Brotherson, the president of Polynesia, who vehemently opposed the plans from Paris.
