The Olympic flame in Charente, but not in Charente-Maritime. The president of the Departmental Council of Charente, Philippe Bouty, and the president of Paris 2024, Tony Estanguet, formalized this Tuesday the accession of Charente to the “Relais de la Flamme”.
If the price mentioned at the beginning of 2022 caused a stir and dissuaded more than one, the triple Olympic canoe champion, now claims around sixty partner departments. The Charente signed a check for 180,000 euros at Paris 2024. A fixed entry fee “in discussions with the Association of Departments of France, a minority sum compared to the overall cost financed essentially by private funds”says Tony Estanguet.
The basic principle: “one day, one departure”. But these 180,000 euros invested will allow the department to surf around this “torch relay” from the start of the next school year. A two-year project that will mobilize educational, sporting, cultural and associative circles.
Message received five out of five by the Charente president Philippe Bouty seduced by this Olympic label. “I have a conviction especially in coming to formalize this strong commitment of the Charente, it is to give the Charentais only dreams. I am delighted with this great adventure which is announced for our department. It is up to us to be creative and imaginative, to work together and to highlight our cultural and sporting heritage with also a different perspective on disability. Sport is a wonderful vector of cohesion”.
The department is already working, via a steering committee, on the course of the torch relay. It will be unveiled within a year. One certainty, the Charentais relay will arrive in Angoulême. For the rest, we will have to satisfy everyone and not offend. The cast of torchbearers will also be known in a year. It will be made up of athletes, personalities, but also and above all of various profiles, taking into account criteria dear to the values of Olympism: parity and diversity.
– © Paris 2024
The 17 not leaving
Initially the department of Charente-Maritime was in favor, but it was cooled when it learned that it had to pay 150,000 euros. “It’s not supposed, there is no logic. If it was free, it goes without saying that it would be a great event, but not at that price”, deplores Stéphane Villain, vice-president of the county council, in charge of sport.
“We sent a letter back when other departments alerted us to the price, we were never contacted again by the organizers. And at this price, we don’t want to be contacted again”. When weighing the pros and cons, Stéphane Villain’s scales quickly tipped, “Can you imagine the number of tournaments, events that can be done with 150,000 euros *? You should not put such colossal sums just to see a flame pass”.
Even if Marseille was chosen rather than La Rochelle to host the sailing events, the department of Charente-Maritime will still be on Olympic time. It is a candidate to host foreign delegations during the Games. Several sites declared their flame of hospitality. Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron for rugby and football, Fouras for table tennis. The Apivia performance center at Stade Rochelais is a natural candidate for rugby.
* The initial sum mentioned in early 2022 in the midst of controversy