Paris 2024 Olympics: Overcrowding hits media centre, Sports Journalists cry out , says situation difficult
PARIS, July 25, 2024 – Just as we predicted two days ago, the Main Media Centre of the Paris 2024 Olympics is now filled beyond capacity, bustling with journalists and photographers. Since Wednesday, (July 24), the LOC Media Operations have had to create extra spaces by opening up new seating areas and making one of the press conference rooms available for journalists to sit and work.
THE CHALLENGE The AIPS President Gianni Merlo, said: “Two days ago we said there could be a challenge of overcrowding in the press centre as we get closer to the opening ceremony because there are not enough places. We wrote that there were only 300 places for journalists and 100 places for photographers, but the LOC has corrected us that there are 400 places for journalists and 100 for the photographers. But still this number is not sufficient. This is a big challenge now because more journalists have arrived in these days and concerns and calm protests have been raised regarding the few number of places in the workroom.
“The LOC press operations have opened two new seating areas where some colleagues can work in a better way, but we are still in an “emergency”, because the way in which the journalists work now is very different from the past and the needs are different. There are complaints about the refreshment, but this can be solved with a minimum of goodwill by the LOC. We have also been informed that the same problem of refreshment also exists in some Venue Media Centres.
LOOKING AHEAD “However, we have to also look ahead to the future because according to some study by the IOC, the percentage of people who use the Main Press Centre is reducing. But I’m afraid that the situation has changed a bit compared to four years ago. The top events here are mostly at night so maybe a lot of people will come here to work in the morning. Also because the transportation hub is near the media centre and it’s easier to go to other venues from the MPC. We hope that what has been done to enlarge the number of places will offer everybody a better condition to work. We hope that with the beginning of the competitions the situation will change, because the new capacity can satisfy the request, but it is impossible to predict what can happen.”
Even in terms of refreshment, the situation is a bit difficult with a 50cl bottle of water being sold for 3 euros.
