After rejecting the organization of the group phase of the Paris 2024 basketball tournaments at Porte de Versailles, FIBA has resolved to accept the relocation of the event to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille but imposes certain conditions, especially security.
It’s a “yes, but…” that FIBA gave to Paris 2024. If it is certain that the final phase of the basketball tournaments of the next Olympic Games will take place at the Accor Arena in Bercy, doubts had persisted for many months concerning the group phase. Indeed, the plans initially drawn up by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) imposed the holding of this first part of the competition in Hall 6 of the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles. But, very quickly, this choice was called into question by certain French internationals, in particular Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert, who highlighted the fact that the place was unsuitable for the practice of basketball due to a ceiling that was too low. Criticisms that have not gone unnoticed on the side of Mies, where the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is installed. Consequently, the decision was taken last March to abandon this plan.
FIBA intends to win
Very quickly, the hypothesis of a relocation of this group phase to Villeneuve d’Ascq was put on the table, with handball which would then be moved to Porte de Versailles for the start of the tournament before returning to the North for its conclusion. After having expressed reservations about this possibility, to the point of asking last June to consider the organization of the event in Villepinte or Levallois-Perret, FIBA ended the debates this Friday on the occasion of a meeting of its Central Office. In a press release, the federation indicates that it ” accepts the extraordinary reasons given by Paris 2024 and the International Olympic Committee regarding the hosting of the Olympic Games in Lille “. “Given the proximity of the Games and the significant joint efforts of all parties and their experts, it has been exceptionally decided to conditionally approve this site, pending confirmation that FIBA’s requirements will be met. , in particular those relating to the health and safety of the players”, specifies this press release. The sticking point concerns the air conditioning of the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in the “Arena” configuration in order to prevent the humidity from making the parquet slippery. Guarantees that FIBA intends to have as soon as possible.
