Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has triggered a heated debate by announcing her intention to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower after the 2024 Summer Games are over. While some Parisians and visitors have expressed support for the idea, others, including heritage campaigners, have criticised it as a “defiling” of the iconic monument.
The five interlaced rings, measuring 29 meters wide and 15 meters high, were installed on the Eiffel Tower before the Paris Olympics opened on July 26. They were expected to be taken down after the Paralympics’ closing ceremony on September 8.
However, Mayor Hidalgo has stated that she has the agreement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to keep the rings on the tower. She argued that the “French have fallen in love with Paris again” during the Games and that she wants “this festive spirit to remain.”
Speaking to the Ouest-France newspaper over the weekend, she said, “The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the IOC [International Olympic Committee]. So yes, they [the rings] will stay on the Eiffel Tower.”
While some Parisians and visitors have expressed support for the mayor’s plan, others have strongly criticised it. Heritage campaigners have labeled the idea as a “defiling” of the Eiffel Tower, a historic monument.
Social media users have also weighed in, with some arguing that the mayor should have consulted Parisians before making the decision. They have pointed to past controversies, such as the Eiffel Tower featuring a Citroën advertisement from 1925 to 1936.
Anne Hidalgo, who has been the mayor of Paris since 2014, is known for her bold and sometimes controversial reforms. Under her tenure, many city streets, including the banks of the Seine, have been pedestrianised, and she has won a city referendum to ban rental electric scooters.
Earlier this year, Hidalgo also successfully pushed for a steep rise in parking rates for SUVs, which faced criticism from drivers’ groups and opposition figures who claimed the classification was misleading.
During the Paris Olympics, the city also faced challenges with water quality, as triathlon events were subject to several delays due to heavy rain, and Para-triathlon events had to be postponed by 24 hours due to poor water quality.
Melissa Enoch
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