Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, France’s minister of sport, has stated that the country’s budget for athletics won’t be reduced after the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris in 2024.
The French Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, has instructed all departments to find reductions in their 2024 budgets with a goal of a 5% reduction.
The promises that Paris 2024 would leave behind to encourage an active lifestyle and healthy living would be dashed by any reduction in the sports budget.
But when speaking to RMC Sport, Oudéa-Castéra declared that her budget will not be cut.
“Absolutely not,” she said.
“All the elements of public policy put in place in the territories are here to stay.
“Everything in its own time.
“I would then come before Parliament to defend our choices for the 2024 financial year.”
Le Monde stated that conversations about the sports budget in the fall had given rise to worries that, excluding Paris 2024 finances, there would be a 20% cut.
Oudéa-Castéra clarified that this was merely a “indicative presentation” and that “new discussions and new arbitrations” would take place.
“The Olympic Games do not constitute a period of overheating that we would allow ourselves before folding the sails,” she said.
“It will be necessary to continue the work undertaken after the Olympics.”
Socialist Party member Claudia Rouaux said that if the requirement of the Ministry of Finance to reduce appropriations is applied to sport, then “the appropriations dedicated to sport will decrease”.
