A small, quiet town on the outskirts of Paris, Obonprepares to live an American summer and even turn a little… “Fort Knox”: the team of U.S choose the sports center “Athletics” to your training base during the Olympic Games at the Paris.
US Mission Numbers 900 athletes (500 for the Olympic Games from 26 July to 11 August, 400 for the Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September), while more 5,000 people they work for them.
Except your basketball players “Dream Team” (the basketball team), all athletes will reside in Olympic Villagein between Saint Denis It is Saint Ouenin the northern suburbs of Paris, but its coaches, physiotherapists and other technical staff will be based in the centre of Aubon, a town 25,000 inhabitants.
The American destiny of “Athletika” was outlined in 2018six years before the opening ceremony of the Games. “A marketing agency from Cyprus contacted us by email saying they were in charge of finding infrastructure for the US team”recalled Atlético’s general director, Arno Zoumalia.
“We didn’t respond because we really thought it was spam, but two weeks later they knocked on our door wanting to visit us”.
An indoor athletics field, a large gymnasium for team sports, additional courts accompanied by a lodging and food center for about a hundred people, all 20 minutes from the French capital: the facilities had everything to please the Americans.
The prospect of planned works – with investments 27 million euros public money- for the modernization of infrastructure, built more than thirty years ago, seduced the heads of the American Olympic team.
In addition to the new parquet flooring in the multi-sports pavilion, three cryotherapy boxes and hydromassage beds were added to this sports rehabilitation center.
As for the details and especially the amount of the bill for the total privatization of “Atlética” throughout the summer, Zoumalia cannot say a word: the contract signed with the Americans is protected by a confidentiality agreement.
Like his voters, the mayor of Obon, Marie-Jose Bollandis concerned about the heightened security measures that will be implemented around the center. He even fears that it will turn the city “into Fort Knox,” the military installation where the U.S. central bank’s gold reserve is kept in Kentucky.
However, unlike what is planned in Paris, no roads in Aubon will be closed and there is no QR code for travel.
Residents and visitors will also have to prove “their residence or reason for travel, in accordance with the conditions established in close cooperation with the American delegation and the cities involved”, states the city hall.
naftemporiki.gr