More than half a million tickets are still available for the Olympic Games, just days before the opening ceremony in Paris.
Organisers have confirmed that between 500,000 and 600,000 tickets remain to be sold, including for the men’s and women’s 100m finals, although these are cheaper than those for London 2012 when inflation is taken into account.
There are still about 4,000 seats available for Friday’s opening ceremony, it was reported. The Telegraphalthough they are in the more expensive categories of £738 and £2,300.
But despite fears of empty seats in big stadiums, Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet has rejected suggestions it is due to a lack of interest in the event in France.
The three-time Olympic canoeing champion said there were still hundreds of thousands of tickets available because some had been held back until seating plans were finalised.
More than half a million tickets are still available for the Olympic Games, just days before the opening ceremony in Paris
Organisers have confirmed that between 500,000 and 600,000 tickets remain to be sold, including for the men’s and women’s 100m finals.
American Noah Lyles celebrates after winning the men’s 100m event at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on July 20. He is hoping to take home gold at the Olympics.
“In total, we initially had 10 million tickets, but in anticipation of unforeseen events, we acquired 20 percent of the total,” he explained.
He said that over the past six months, “new ticket opportunities” have been launched and “that’s why we still have tickets available a week early because we now have the final delivery plan.”
A record 8.8 million tickets have been sold so far for the Paris Olympics, and Estanguet argued that they had already met their revenue target.
Most of the unsold tickets are for football matches, while the finals of cycling, swimming, rowing, rugby sevens and other athletic disciplines still have seats available.
There has also been a backlash over the decision to increase the cost of using the metro, with tickets to use the city’s underground almost doubling in price while the Olympic and Paralympic Games are taking place.
The price of a single ticket has been reduced from 2.15 euros to 4 euros, a price that will remain the same until September.
Mr Estanguet explained: “The reason for this price was that we had to reinforce the transport plan during the Games by 15 per cent more than is usual for this time of year.”
This comes as French trade unionists threaten to cause chaos at the Paris Olympics, with dancers signed up to perform filing a strike notice just a week before the opening ceremony, citing low pay and “flagrant inequalities in treatment”.
With just a week to go until the lavish boat procession down the River Seine, tickets are available for between £700 and £2,200, with hospitality packages topping £3,000.
The figures for a ceremony that lasted less than four hours have outraged unions, who say the profits are not being shared with ordinary workers.
Many of the 3,000 dancers, acrobats and actors who will contribute to the show work for exceptionally low wages, or even for free, and a union representing the performers says hundreds of them were recruited under “disgraceful conditions”.
A spokesperson for the Syndicate of Performing Artists of France said today: “At this very moment, dress rehearsals for the ceremonies are underway and we regret to have to announce the filing of a strike notice for the show on 26 July 2024, as well as for the upcoming rehearsals for the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games.”
Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet has rejected suggestions that the number of unsold tickets is due to a lack of interest in the event in France.
A man walks past a sign with the Paris 2024 logo in Paris, France, July 17, 2024.
A policeman stands guard on the bridge near the Eiffel Tower on July 17, 2024 in Paris, France
It is the latest catastrophe facing Games organisers in the French capital, who are already grappling with heightened environmental and security concerns, not to mention a deadlock in the French government after a hotly contested election failed to give any party a clear majority.
The union has attempted to negotiate with private companies organising the Olympic opening ceremony, highlighting “questionable practices, obvious inequalities in treatment and a lack of social dialogue during preparations for the ceremonies”.
Many show dancers were recruited “under disgraceful conditions or without pay,” the spokesman said.
This comes as other unions threaten a similar strike during the ceremony, which is expected to be attended by up to 600,000 people.
Nightly pay rates vary between the equivalent of £50 and £1400 for entertainment professionals.
Hundreds of volunteers who earn absolutely nothing will also be on duty throughout the night.
The artists’ union is part of the CGT, the General Confederation of Workers, which represents the largest number of public employees in France, and has filed a strike notice covering all Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Empty seats prepared for the opening ceremony are seen along the Seine River on July 17, 2024 in Paris.
CGT spokesperson Céline Verzeletti said: “The notice period applies to all employees in the health sector, local authorities and the State.”
Police union members are being given a bonus of up to £1,700 to try to stop them walking off the job during the Games.
Games organisers told MailOnline: ‘Paris 2024 takes the working conditions of all those who contribute to the success of the Games very seriously.
‘We have contacted Paname 24, our service provider responsible for recruiting the dancers for the opening ceremony, to confirm the level of employment conditions in place.
‘Paris 2024 has verified that Paname 24 has strictly complied with the law in applying the collective agreement applicable to the profession of dancer. In addition, the remuneration of dancers is above the minimum levels established by their collective agreement.
“Paris 2024 and Paname 24 are committed to continuing collective discussions; we maintain regular dialogue with the SFA-CGT union and we fully intend to continue doing so.”