In Marseille, elected officials from the municipal majority condemn the “distortion of the Olympic ideal”

They condemn”the exploitation of the Olympics“, became one”tools to divert public opinion from the vital issues of our time: the climate challenge and the safeguarding of our democratic framework and our social pact“. Led by Sébastien Barles, deputy mayor of Marseille for ecological transition and member of the “Printemps Marseillais” majority that conquered the city in June 2020, after 25 years of the reign of Jean-Claude Gaudin (LR), the signatories from the platform thus condemn a “Fortress Europe that has forgotten its traditions of welcome and hospitality“, threatened by”the rise of national populism and illiberal democracies“.

“Carbon impact”, “social cleansing”…

Likewise, they wonder about the cost of these games,”billions of public money“(from three to five billion, according to the Audit Court, ed. note) which according to them can “finance the investments necessary for the ecological transition and respond to the increase in energy and food insecurity“The 5 elected officials see this ecological aspect in these games”large greenwashing operations to glorify climate-killing multinational corporations“as Coca-Cola, official sponsor of the torch relay,”global example of the ravages of junk food“. On April 29, the Marseille environmental association “Clean my Calanques” refused to carry the flame for the same reasons.

“It is high time to reconsider these major international sports competitions where money rules, and the sports industry and its excesses participate in the environmental massacre.“, Marseille elected officials insist, emphasizing”the enormous carbon impact associated with international travel“athletes or spectators,”additional sources of pollution“And”social cleansing in host cities“.