While the controversy over the price of tickets to attend the Paris 2024 Games, considered excessive by many, continues to grow, the double Olympic champion in the heptathlon Nafi Thiam has added her voice to all those who have already denounced this situation since the opening of the first phase of ticket sales on February 15.
Initially asked about the lack of prize-money and financial bonus for her world record during the European Indoor Championships which end this Sunday in Istanbul, the n°1 in Belgian athletics seized the opportunity to draw attention to another issue.
”What shocks me above all is the price of tickets for the Olympic Gamesshe says. It’s the athletes who put on the show but I’m not even sure that my family will be able to come and see me, it’s so expensive. There is the price of the tickets, the trip, the accommodation on site. We regularly talk about this subject in the media and it struck me because the Olympic Games still generate a lot of money, in terms of ticketing too.
In Paris, this sector should generate approximately 1.5 billion euros in revenue out of an overall budget of 4.4 billion euros, ie one third of the Organizing Committee’s budget.
La Brabançonne sounded in Istanbul: Nafi Thiam received his gold medal after his dream pentathlon (VIDEO)
”Yes, I repeat, the athletes make the show and I find it a shame, while you bring the show to life as an athlete, that your family will not necessarily be there to see you because it is too expensive! ”
And Nafi Thiam to take the example of one of his relatives. “My little brother had registered for the first draw but the packs offered were really very expensive”, continues the triple European indoor pentathlon champion. “We will therefore have to wait until March 15 now to register for a second lottery (Editor’s note: which will be open on May 15) and try to have single tickets.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games: €690 for an evening of athletics, €200 for gym qualifications… We are far from the “great popular festival” of sport
Up to 690 euros
To attend the first session of the first day of the heptathlon, which will take place on August 8 and 9, 2024, it costs between 24 and 170 euros, a price which varies according to the place in the stadium. The next day, for the decisive day and the awarding of medals, you have to pay between 85 and 690 euros for the second session depending on the category you are in. Places subject to availability of course…
Even as a double gold medalist at the Olympics, Nafi Thiam will not benefit from a free pass: “I heard that there would be places available but that they would be paying…”
The stated objective of “Popular games” seems, in any case, very far!
The first tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games go on sale this Wednesday