“exclusive” experiences and athlete meetings sold illegally for up to $500,000 – Libération

According to the “Guardian”, GR8 Experience, a company partly owned by the manager of LeBron James and the agent of Rafael Nadal, promises wonders to its customers. Completely illegal, says the Olympic organizing committee.

Greed and indecency far removed from the Olympic spirit. The private company GR8 Experience is selling hospitality packs at crazy prices for the Paris Olympics this summer, claiming in particular to be able to offer its customers access to places reserved for athletes, as well as meetings with certain stars of the Games , according to an article published by the Guardians what saturday may 4

GR8 Experience, which bills itself as an “international experiences agency,” is partly owned by basketball player LeBron James’ manager, Maverick Carter, as well as Rafael Nadal’s agent, Benito Perez-Barbadillo. It sells packs for 381,600 euros, claiming that they include access to fourteen different events, including the 100-meter final or the opening ceremony on the Seine.

In addition to tickets for these events, the company claims that it can arrange, for a large sum of money, visits to places closed to the public such as the athletes’ village or the Louvre museum after closing time , as well as meetings with athletes.

Not embarrassed, the boss of this company, Barnabas Carrega, responded to the Guardian and confirmed this information, refusing to give the names of the athletes concerned but affirming that they are “a few tennis players” and different “athletes in other sports,” citing only previous interviews with Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic. Prices range, according to the head of GR8 Experience, from $25,000 to $500,000 to buy the time of a very famous athlete.

Another curiosity, the boss of GR8 Experience also claims to be able to sell six to eight seats at $25,000 to be “part of the opening ceremony”, with access to the Trocadéro where the main part of the show will take place along the Seine.

“Valid accreditation” and “security checks”

Questioned by the British daily, the Olympic organizing committee (Cojo) specified that the company On Location was the only one authorized to sell hospitality packs for the Paris Olympics. “Any entity that sells hospitality packages with tickets, without being an official sub-distributor of On Location, is doing so illegally,” Cojo retorts in a press release. Access to the athletes’ village or the opening ceremony is only permitted to persons with valid accreditation. Anyone entering the village or the opening ceremony will be subject to multiple security checks.”

An IOC representative warns that individuals purchasing this type of pack from a company not affiliated with the Olympic Games risk being refused access when the day comes.