Belgian heptathlete Nafissatou Thiam fears that her family may not be able to attend the event due to the high prices of tickets.
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The expensive ticket prices for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics have shocked and worried Belgian heptathlete Nafissatou Thiam. Thiam, a two-time gold winner at the Olympics, will attempt to win the heptathlon for a third straight time. But she worries that her family won’t be able to go because of the expensive tickets. Nafissatou Thiam highlighted that the cost of hotel and transportation, which can add to the overall expense of attending the event, is just as significant for her family as the cost of the tickets.
Some have objected to the ticket cost, saying that the Paris 2024 organisers are charging too much. Nafissatou Thiam believes it is unfair that athletes’ families cannot afford to attend their tournaments because they are the ones who perform. The Paris 2024 organizers have high hopes for ticket sales, with a target of earning up to €1.4 billion from ticket sales and hospitality packages. Nonetheless, there have been protests about the outrageous cost of the tickets, particularly as the government reserved and distributed more than half of the €24 tickets to communities, making them inaccessible to the general public.
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Critics have also pointed out that some athletics tickets were being sold for up to €690, and that tickets for sports such as fencing and climbing sold out quickly, making it difficult for many fans to secure tickets for the events they want to attend. Nafissatou Thiam‘s comments are in line with the sentiments of many French citizens, with a recent survey finding that 82% of respondents believed that the ticket prices for Paris 2024 are too expensive. The first phase of ticket sales saw three million tickets made available, but successful applicants were required to purchase entry for three events at the same time, with the majority of the sports tickets sports priced at a minimum of €80.
Individual tickets for athletic events, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and other events will be available for purchase in May as part of the second phase of ticket distribution. There will be a third and final round of ticket sales towards the conclusion of 2023. The ticket rates are explained by the Paris 2024 Olympic organisers as being in accordance with the slogan “Games Wide Open.” Also, they mentioned that 1,000,000 tickets are available for €24 and that roughly 50% of general admission tickets are priced at €50. Many fans, athletes, and families are nevertheless angry about the expensive ticket prices despite these defences. The Paris Summer Olympics of 2024 are scheduled to begin in July from from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
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