Not one, but four foreign delegations will come to Saint-Paul-lès-Dax for a training camp for the Olympic Games. Ukraine and Egypt in football, Congo in athletics, swimming and table tennis and Mozambique in boxing, judo, athletics, swimming and sailing. Some have real chances of medals.
Arrivals will be spread out from July 2 to 9. In total, around a hundred people, including Andrei Shevchenko, former Ballon d’Or winner, now president of the Ukrainian Football Federation, who will stay for two to three weeks, or nearly 1,700 nights. That is to say, economic benefits for the town are estimated at 300,000 euros.
“This is the result of a lot of work by Jean-Yves Trévian, delegate for economic development, thermalism and sport,” explained the mayor, Julien Bazus. As soon as we were labeled Terre de jeux 2024 and Sports Preparation Center, he multiplied the steps. He contacted 70 federations. But it was not possible to accommodate all the requests.”
Quality recognition
For the mayor, Julien Bazus, “It is a recognition of the assets of our town and a good omen for the future.” The quality of the grounds of the Plaine des sports and Aurus was, it seems, a determining factor in the choices of the delegations, as was the Sourcéo aquatic center, the Napoléon clinic specializing in functional rehabilitation, the private boxing (Life Fight) or bodybuilding (Océania) rooms and the quality of the hotel industry.
The living environment and accessibility also played an important role. And beyond that, the welcome from various clubs, which offered their help, made the difference. “Attending the Olympic Games is not very easy. So, we are happy to be able to offer the people of Saint-Paul this opportunity to meet high-level athletes,” confides Jean-Yves Trévian.
It is rumored that demonstrations, or even matches, could be organized. But everyone will understand that, on the one hand, the concentration of athletes is essential, and that in the current international context, security must take precedence.
