The arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille does not rejoice everyone. “Negative ecological impact”, “greenwashing” by “climate-killing multinationals”, “social cleansing”: in a column published Tuesday on the Libération website, five elected environmentalists from Marseille denounce “the perversion of the Olympic ideal”.
“We do not believe in the beautiful story that they want to tell us”, accuse the five signatories, despite being members of the municipal majority of the diverse-left mayor Benoît Payan who fought for the second largest city in France to host the Olympic flame. They denounce “the exploitation of the Olympics”, which have become a “tool for diverting public opinion from the vital issues of our time: the climate challenge and the safeguarding of our democratic framework and our social pact”.
“It is high time to re-examine these major international sporting competitions where money reigns king and sport business and its excesses participate in the environmental massacre”, insist the elected officials, highlighting “the immense carbon impact linked to international travel” of athletes or spectators, “additional sources of pollution” and “social cleansing in host cities”.
Several collectives have also called for a festive demonstration in the center of Marseille on Wednesday at the start of the afternoon to “show that we can have a popular celebration in the name of sport, without exploiting, oppressing or destroying”.
