Players frown at Paris 2024 basketball venue

Article posted by Coliseum, March 28^th, 2022

Image: Paris 2024

Paris 2024 and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have announced that preliminary round matches will no longer take place at the Arena Paris Sud, with the venue having been criticized by the players.

The ‘inside the games’ stated that the Hall Six at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris (France) had been selected as a venue back in 2020.

There have been reports that the nine-meter ceiling at the venue would be the lowest-ever for an Olympics.

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The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and also known as Paris 2024, is an upcoming international multisport event scheduled to take place from July 26^th to August 11^th, 2024 in Paris, France.

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the Fédération internationale de basket-ball amateur, in 1989 it dropped the word amateur from its name but retained the acronym.

The ‘inside the games’ further stated that French star Rudy Gobert was among the players to have offered their opposition to the venue.

The Tokyo 2020 silver medallist was quoted as saying, “I don’t want to play in a hall where I’ll bang my head when I shoot, it makes no sense.”

Other concerns had been expressed over the humidity in the sports hall due to lack of ventilation.

FIBA had reportedly raised issues over the suitability of the location, with the governing body claimed to have proposed the Porte de la Chapelle, which is due to host badminton and rhythmic gymnastics events, could be used instead.

A joint Paris 2024 and FIBA statement has confirmed a new venue will be identified for the preliminary stage of the men’s and women’s basketball competitions – “A venue review conducted in 2020 identified the Arena Paris Sud (Porte de Versailles) Hall 6 as a suitable venue to host the basketball group phase. This choice was totally in line with the vision of Paris 2024 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) new norm which promotes a responsible approach in the choice of competition venue (95 percent already existing or temporary) and which is a fundamental commitment of Paris 2024 bid.”

The statement further read, “Paris 2024 and FIBA have worked together for several months, however, following the most recent sporting and technical assessments, Paris 2024 and FIBA have agreed that this venue will no longer host basketball competitions due to its specificities. Paris 2024 and FIBA will continue working closely together to identify a new venue for the preliminary round, which will meet Olympic requirements whilst respecting Paris 2024’s guiding principles on environmental and budgetary responsibility. Both Paris 2024 and FIBA are confident of positive developments in the coming months in order to provide the best-possible setting for the world’s greatest basketball players to shine.”

The replacement venue will stage pool phase and quarter-final matches at the Games.

Competition will then move to the 15,000-capacity Bercy Arena for the later stages of the basketball tournaments at Paris 2024.

The United States are the men’s and women’s defending champions in basketball.

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