“All to the Games”: the state plan to democratize Paris 2024 was launched

Amid the continuous murmurs about the prices of the locations for Paris 2024, the French government wound up the “Everyone to the Games” initiative (“Tous aux Jeux”), consisting of the distribution of 401,220 tickets to enjoy different events of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on site.

The announcement, by the Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, stated that the program aims to guarantee access to as many people as possible and “share the joy of experiencing the Games in France”, and detailed the beneficiary groups as well as the precise number of locations assigned to each one.

First of all, young people will be the main recipients since they will receive a total of 258,800 tickets. This group will be made up of students enrolled and awarded scholarships in all schools in mainland France and abroad from CM1 (9-10 years old) to Terminale (18), low-income children and adolescents and also those distinguished by their civic commitment. The bulk of the entries -200,000- will correspond to Paralympic disciplines.

The Volunteers of the Sports Movement, a category that involves everything from educators to referees who leave their mark on amateur clubs, will enjoy 100,100 seats since they are considered essential pieces for the vitality of French sports. 70,000 will be delivered through sports federations.

A substantially smaller box office will be aimed at public officials involved in some task of the Paris 2024 organization. These category B and C state agents will be favored by 24,900 tickets.

Finally, people with disabilities and their caregivers will receive 17,400 places. Driven by the search for inclusion and the diversity of audiences, the French government will include both people who make up the Paralympic movement and those who do so in medical-social establishments.

Of the total number of locations distributed, 74.5% -298,600- will be able to attend Paralympic events between August 28 and September 8, 2024, 25% Olympic events from July 26 to August 11 and only 1,920, a figure that represents 0.5%, will be for the respective opening ceremonies. As for the one that will inaugurate the Olympic Games, Oudéa-Castéra projected that, regardless of the plan, there will be 100,000 fewer free spaces than expected: not 500,000 but 400,000 witnesses will enjoy a privileged view at no cost on the banks of the Seine.

The program selection process will begin between March and April of next year. Those who are elected must present electronic tickets on their mobile device at the sports venue that has been designated for them.