Everything will be finished on time, said the Minister of Sports of France, Amelie Udea Castera, when it comes to the Olympic Games that will be held in Paris next year.
She told the "France Info" radio station that all the planned infrastructure will be completed, and that the planned budget for the Games has not gone out of control, even though it has been revised.
Udea Kastera specified that the "Paris 2024" Organizing Committee estimates the budget at 4,400 billion euros, which is a figure that has been revised upwards by 10 percent and that half of that correction refers to the impact of inflation.
She emphasized that 96 percent of that budget will be covered by private income, that is, thanks to sponsoring companies, ticket sales or licenses.
The minister pointed out that in global terms, "public investments represent less than 25 percent" of the money needed for these Olympic Games.
Asked about the controversy surrounding high ticket prices, she said it was the "biggest sporting event on the planet" that only takes place "once every four years".
"Most tickets were sold at a price of 24 euros, about half at a price below 50 euros and only 10 percent for more than 200 euros. These are the usual prices for the Olympic Games," she pointed out.
Udea Kaster also said that during the Opening Ceremony, which will be held along the banks of the Seine River, there will be 100.000 people with paid tickets on the stands on the docks, while several hundred thousand people will watch the spectacle in total.
The Olympic Games in Paris will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
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