The new Minister of Sports Marie Barsacq will apply the “Estanguet method” in the face of “budgetary issues”

The new Minister of Sports, Marie Barsacq, will apply a “bold method learned from Tony Estanguet” within the Paris-2024 organizing committee “to face budgetary challenges” she said during the transfer of power with Gil Avérous on Tuesday.

“My method learned from Tony Estanguet at Paris-2024 is a daring method: you have to dare, you have to think big, you have to have dreams and hold on to them”explained the former member of the organizing committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cojop), a structure which managed to generate a surplus at the end of the global event.

“So, in these complicated times, when we know the budgetary challenges of our country, we can find solutions. We experienced budgetary constraints with Paris 2024 and we found ways to get through,” she continued, addressing Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, minister at the time of the Games and present in the assembly.

Marie Barsacq, who spent most of her career in French sports institutions, at the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) as well as at the French Football Federation (FFF), then at Paris-2024 from 2016, left it to his predecessor Gil Avérous to list the priority files: “The renewal of the Stade de France concession, which must write a new page in its history; the 2030 Alps winter games, the fight against abuses in stadiums and the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence”, listed the mayor of Châteauroux.

“The football club is an incredible gathering place”

To deal with it, the new minister promised pragmatism, work and audacity. She wants the Alps 2030 to benefit from “all the know-how of Paris 2024” and establish dialogue, “the only valid method”, with all stakeholders to reduce violence in football stadiums.

“In terms of football, a million matches are organized per year, and the football club is an incredible place of gathering and cohesion of our communities, villages, cities, neighborhoods, we must also see the benefits”said the former member of the FFF executive committee. The 2025 budget prepared by the Barnier government but censored should have significantly reduced the credits granted to sport, while maintaining those for the high level.