- Plans to keep Olympic rings on Eiffel Tower sparks row
- Paris Mayor announced her plans to keep the rings, saying she has backing of IOC
- The proposal has divided opinion among Parisians
Plans to keep Olympic rings on Eiffel Tower sparks row
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sparked controversy with her plan to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower after the summer Games conclude. She announced her intention to retain the rings, stating she has the backing of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the IOC [International Olympic Committee],” she told the Ouest-France newspaper over the weekend.
“So yes, they [the rings] will stay on the Eiffel Tower,” she added.
The proposal has divided opinion among Parisians. While some support the move, others, including heritage campaigners, argue that it would “defile” the iconic monument of the French capital. The five Olympic rings, which are 29 meters wide, 15 meters high, and weigh 30 tonnes, were installed on the Eiffel Tower ahead of the Paris Olympics, which began on July 26. They were originally scheduled to be removed following the Paralympics’ closing ceremony on September 8.
However, Hidalgo wishes to keep a version of the rings—symbolising the five continents—on the tower. She mentioned that the current rings are too heavy and would eventually be replaced with a lighter version. The Socialist mayor also expressed a desire to maintain the “festive spirit” that she believes has helped Parisians “fall in love with Paris again” during the Games.
The Eiffel Tower, constructed in 1889 for the World’s Fair, was initially criticised by Parisian artists and intellectuals but has since become a beloved symbol of the “City of Light.”