Photo: 2019 Tahiti Pro//WSL
Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee, has reaffirmed that the judging tower for the surfing event at Teahupo’o will be built. Estanguet’s remarks were in response to a statement put out yesterday by the International Surf Association (ISA), in which the organization said they “will not support” the construction of the controversial tower and put forth several alternative proposals. “We respect the almost unanimous decision taken locally to continue with the launch of the construction work,” said Estanguet at an end-of-year press conference at the Organizing Committee headquarters, according to France24.
Estanguet dismissed the alternative proposal put out by the ISA, saying that they had been analyzed and found to be inadequate. “It was judged to be not feasible on several fronts,” said Estanguet. “On the technical front in terms of filming the images but also, surrounding security, it poses a lot of questions.”
In fact, Estanguet said that the committee had previously looked into similar options, reports Reuters. “This is an option that had been looked into, but it had been discarded because it would mean the events being judged from a 900-meter distance,” he said. “We can’t broadcast like this in good conditions and in terms of sporting fairness, it would be a problem. Events have always been judged from a tower. Tahiti asked to host the surfing events and we will continue to work with all stakeholders to make it happen.”
