Paris 2024 Remains Committed to Tower Construction for Olympic Surfing Venue Amidst Opposition

The Paris 2024 organizers are determined to proceed with their decision to construct a new aluminum judging tower in Tahiti, French Polynesia, despite resistance from the International Surfing Association (ISA), locals, and surfers. In a statement on Wednesday, the organizers emphasized that building the tower is necessary to ensure the competition runs smoothly and the safety of the athletes and everyone involved.

Teahupoo is widely considered one of the top surf spots globally and hosts World Surf League (WSL) tour competitions. Traditionally, a wooden structure is built for competitions and then taken down afterwards. However, Olympic organizers argue that a nine-ton aluminum tower is needed to accommodate the 40 people involved in judging and televising the competition next year.

On Tuesday, the ISA said in a statement it opposed the towers construction.

Jack Robinson, a surfer, competes in the men's final of the Tahiti World Surf League (WSL) professional competition, which also serves as a surfing test event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The event takes place at Teahupo'o in Tahiti, French Polynesia, on August 16, 2023. (Image credit: Jerome Brouillet/AFP/Getty Images)

Construction of the aluminum tower for the Olympic surf event in Tahiti has been halted after a barge caused damage to the coral. Earlier this month, the surfing body expressed concern when the barge became stuck on the reef, leading to damage to the coral and a pause in construction. Paris 2024 and local authorities announced plans to reduce the size and weight of the tower in response to the incident.

Following the incident, the ISA suggested different methods for judging the competition, such as remote judging with live images taken from land, water, and drones. However, Paris 2024 stated on Wednesday that this option had already been considered and dismissed due to visibility and security concerns.

Paris 2024 mentioned that although judging from footage has been used at other international surfing competitions, it wasn't practical at Teahupoo due to the specific site characteristics. They also rejected the proposal for a temporary platform with cameras for security reasons. The organising committee has started work on a new revised tower and has invited the ISA to respect the decision made by local stakeholders.

On December 17, 2023, a group of surfers convened in Guethary, located in southwestern France, for a protest against the proposed construction of the Olympic surfing venue in Polynesia. The demonstration aimed to advocate for the preservation of the Teahupoo site.

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Local opposition

The proposed tower has faced strong opposition from the community and notable figures in the surfing world. A petition to reconsider the building of the tower, as well as the associated drilling and underwater pipelines, has garnered nearly 230,000 signatures from residents and visitors of Teahupoo. Pro surfers such as Kelly Slater and Kanoa Igarashi have also voiced their concerns about its construction.

Concerns about the environmental impact of the new structure have been voiced by campaigners and local residents for some time. Astrid Drollet, secretary of the Vai Ara O Teahupoo association, expressed in a previous interview with CNN that the existing wooden tower, which has been in use for 20 years, is well-maintained. She is also behind the petition "Save Teahupoo Reef."

Drollet questioned why Paris 2024 and French Polynesia are not utilizing the tower for the four days of competition, emphasizing that it will significantly harm the environment. According to Tahiti's tourism board, there are more than 1,000 fish species and 150 coral species in French Polynesia. The corals, which are highly protected due to the threats of climate change and mass tourism, are at risk.

Earlier this month, surfers in southwestern France also mounted a protest about the Teahupoo sites development.