Paris Olympic Organizing Head Says Budget ‘Under Control’ a Year Ahead of 2024 Games 

Paris 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP)
Paris 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP)
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Paris Olympic Organizing Head Says Budget ‘Under Control’ a Year Ahead of 2024 Games 

Paris 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP)
Paris 2024 Olympics Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet speaks during a press conference at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP)

The operating budget for the Paris Olympics is “under control,” the president of the organizing committee said Tuesday.

With one year to go before the opening ceremony, organizing committee president Tony Estanguet said partnership deals are on track, with 22 new sponsors joining since the start of the year.

“Just recently, we passed the 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) mark in secured revenue from our partners,” Estanguet said. “This is unprecedented. It’s obviously the first time that a sporting event in France has raised so much money from companies and partnerships.”

Estanguet said the money in investment does not include “a new premium partner with whom we’re in talks.”

Paris organizers are still negotiating a partnership contract for the 2024 Games with luxury group LVMH.

The organizing committee, known as COJO, has an operating budget of about 4.4 billion euros ($4.5 billion).

Estanguet insisted that 96% of the budget is funded by the private sector, including the IOC, partner companies, as well as the ticketing office and licensing. He added that organizers aim to secure 92% of the budget by the end of the year.

“We continue with enthusiasm and serenity in a bid to achieve this goal,” Estanguet said, adding that ticket sales have also been successful, with 6.8 million tickets already sold.

The overall budget for the Paris Olympics, including the cost of building and renovating venues, is about 8 billion euros ($8.2 billion).



Just Frustration: Piastri Explains Radio Cursing at Alpine

Second-placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia poses on the podium with his trophy after the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, 29 June 2025. (EPA)
Second-placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia poses on the podium with his trophy after the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, 29 June 2025. (EPA)
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Just Frustration: Piastri Explains Radio Cursing at Alpine

Second-placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia poses on the podium with his trophy after the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, 29 June 2025. (EPA)
Second-placed McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia poses on the podium with his trophy after the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, 29 June 2025. (EPA)

McLaren's Formula One championship leader Oscar Piastri said cursing at former employers Alpine over the radio at last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix was just a humorous way of expressing his frustration.

The Australian made a comment after having to go off track to avoid Renault-owned Alpine's Argentine driver Franco Colapinto.

"Alpine still managed to find a way to (expletive) me over all these years later, huh?," he told race engineer Tom Stallard in an exchange not broadcast on television at the time.

Piastri told Reuters at a McLaren fan event in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday that his swearing had just been spur of the moment.

"It was just kind of a frustrating coincidence. My qualifying got hampered by an Alpine. I got impeded in the race by both the Alpines. So, it was kind of just a build-up of a few things," he said. "And it was more out of frustration.

"I still have a lot of friends at Alpine. A lot of people that I respect a lot.

"It was just kind of an ironic coincidence that the things that hampered me a bit in the weekend were all with Alpine. But, yeah -- more just me trying to express my humor and frustration in the race."

Piastri joined McLaren after being named by Alpine as their driver for 2023, only for the Australian to very publicly reject the seat with a statement that has become part of Formula One lore.

Then Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer questioned the driver's integrity, and threatened legal action, but McLaren won easily when the matter went to the contract recognition board.

Alpine are now last in the championship, and are still going through turmoil, while McLaren won the constructors' title last year and are runaway favorites again.