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Paris metro ticket price to double during 2024 Olympics

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 A metro operated by the Paris transport network RATP makes its way inside the Arts et Metiers subway station in Paris on the eve of the third nationwide day of strike and protests against French government's pension reform plan in France, February 6, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes Acquire Licensing Rights

Paris metro ticket prices will almost double during the 2024 Olympics, the French capital region’s president said on Tuesday, adding that residents with passes would be shielded from the temporary rise and visitors would be charged “a fair price”.

The mayor of Paris warned last week that public transport services, which are provided by the regional authority, would be insufficient during the events. The Olympics will be held from July 26 to Aug. 11 and the Paralympics from Aug. 28 to Sept 8.

“During the Olympics and the Paralympics, the Ile de France region will dramatically increase its transport offer. It is out of question that the residents support that cost,” the region’s president Valerie Pecresse said on social media.

“We’re going to create a new pass, the Paris 2024 pass, that will allow visitors to travel through the whole Ile de France region. It will cost 16 euros a day, and up to 70 euros a week. It is the fair price,” Pecresse said in a video.

She said a single journey metro ticket will cost 4 euros ($4.38) for the period from July 20 to Sept. 8, adding that residents of the region with a usual monthly or yearly pass will not be affected.

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A monthly pass normally costs 84.10 euros, while single journeys currently costs 2.10 euros.

Last week, Paris mayor hit out at Pecresse, saying the French capital would not be ready in terms of transport.

Transport minister Clement Beaune backed Pecresse on Tuesday, saying Paris would be ‘ready’, adding that ‘it is important that there are no changes for the Parisians during the Games’.

Pecresse said that it was crucial that the Paris region residents be spared.

“The prices will go up so that the Olympics are 100% accessible by public transport,” she told reporters at a test ride of the future line 15 of the metro on Tuesday.

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“Public services have a cost and pretending otherwise is a lie. If it’s not the visitors who pay, it’s going to be the tax payer.”

-Reuters

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Olympics

Olympic rings removed from Eiffel Tower

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The Eiffel Tower and the Olympic Rings

The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.

The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June. 

According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo  wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.

The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.

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Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul

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Ahmed El-Gendy won Egypt's only gold at the Paris Olympics

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered  a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that  participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.

The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.

Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.

Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.

Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review. 

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Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.

-Insidethegames

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Olympics

Paris 2024 Games break record ticket sales

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Beach Volleyball - Men's Gold Medal Match - Sweden vs Germany (Ahman/Hellvig vs Ehlers/Wickler) - Eiffel Tower Stadium, Paris, France - August 10, 2024. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo

Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.

Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.

In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.

-Reuters

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