The Cour des Comptes noted in its preliminary report, published ahead of the 2030 Winter Olympics, also set for France, that this expenditure includes €2.77 billion for event organization and €3.19 billion for infrastructure developments.
Organizers for Paris 2024 disputed the estimates in their comments on the report. They argued that certain expenses that occurred before the event and will persist afterward cannot be attributed to the Games. Furthermore, they stated that classifying significant investments as Olympic-related, despite being unrelated initiatives initiated long ago, is unjustifiable.
“By its methodological choices, the Court has essentially chosen not to examine the crucial question that would better inform public discourse: how much public money could have been saved if the Games had not taken place in Paris?” stated Tony Estanguet, the former head of the organizing committee.
“It is clear that this amount would be significantly less than the €6 billion currently mentioned by the court. The organizing committee, as previously noted during the contradictory procedure, estimates that this figure does not surpass €2 billion, while the anticipated economic advantages of the Games are estimated to be three to five times that amount,” he further explained.
The Cour des Comptes reaffirmed that its progress report is grounded in data available as of March 31, 2025, and does not aim to draw definitive conclusions.
“The report does not take into account, due to unavailable data, any analysis of the positive or negative impacts of the Games on economic activity or tax revenues, nor an evaluation of tax expenditures associated with their organization,” stated the Court in a summary announcement.
“On this last matter, tax authorities informed the Court that no comprehensive estimate is currently on the agenda. This stance is unsatisfactory, and the Court urges the State to commence this assessment without delay.”
