The baton has been passed. With the program featuring 32 sports encompassing 306 events, organizers say the Paris Games will be the biggest event France has ever organised. Following a turbulent period of preparation, just how will Paris perform on the global stage of sport?

To find out, The Agenda’s Stephen Cole is joined by Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He’s also a former French slalom canoeist and three-time Olympic champion, having competed at an international level from 1994 to 2012.

Asked by Stephen about the behind-the-scenes challenges, Tony Estanguet says he’s adamant that the scale of organization required won’t deter their enthusiasm:
“We will have 869 events to deliver, and for me, the main challenge every day is to maintain a very high level of ambition.
“It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and we believe that France has great potential to organize a spectacular Games.”

Paris also promises to deliver a carbon-neutral Games, becoming the first in history to devote much attention to climate and environmental considerations long before the event. Tony says he hopes it sets a standard for future Games:

“We want to try to propose a new way to deliver the games through a more responsible model to cut the carbon footprint.”

On the Paralympic Games, Tony wants to capture global attention and to change public perception:
“We have a target around disability and making sure that the Paralympic Games will also help people to be more open about a more inclusive society.”

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