The Paris 2024 Olympics were “the most followed Games ever” and leave a measurable legacy.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach referred to the event’s insights and audience report, released this month, which found that five billion people followed Paris 2024.
“They were Games with the highest marks of appreciation ever given by the stakeholders and the public,” added Mr Bach.
The FEI’s own report, which naturally focused on equestrian sport, states that there were 184,000 spectators at the equine events in Versailles, with some 40,000 on cross-country day.
In a video shown at the FEI general assembly in November, Anne Murac, a Paris 2024 sports cluster manager for Paris 2024, said the images from and athlete performances in the equestrian competitions “were simply breathtaking and inspirational”.
The FEI also mapped social media reactions and emotions during the Games period. One of the biggest spikes was around the Charlotte Dujardin news. In general, there was an increase in negative feedback in 2024 compared to 2023, particularly concerning animal welfare in dressage.
FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibáñez highlighted how the emotional responses changed, which showed that anger and disgust were high before the Games – but that during the equestrian events, that shifted to joy.
“What happened before, happened before, but during the Games itself, it was extremely positive,” she said.
The other major spike in social media activity was around Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart’s visit to Versailles. There was also notable buzz around Laura Collett and London 52’s record-breaking eventing dressage score, and Anush Agarwalla becoming India’s first Olympic dressage rider.
Amy Powell, venue media manager for equestrian and modern pentathlon, reported that the venue “regularly hosted 200 members of the media on any given day” and that “incredible performances” and showcasing “what true equestrian partnerships are made of” in the stunning venue led to a shift towards a “very positive vibe in the mixed zone”.
She added that even what may be considered “more popular” sports “drew in significantly fewer photographers than we hosted in Versailles, even on our quietest days”.
“It could be so easy to fall into the trap of thinking our little niche sport in the corner of the global sports industry could be long forgotten, as those iconic images disappear from our social media feeds,” she said.
“However, having witnessed the incredible appetite for our sports from media and spectators alike […] there really is room for us to propel equestrianism to even higher limits, bigger audiences and more sponsors.”
The sport’s tangible legacy has resulted in restoration of parts of Versailles, including the forest and water features. H&H also understands that Versailles park officials were “highly impressed and enthusiastic” about the equestrian competitions, expressing interest in exploring the possibility of hosting future equestrian events there.
“The equestrian events at Paris 2024 not only showcased world-class sport, but also demonstrated how competition can coexist with environmental stewardship,” retiring FEI Olympic and eventing director Catrin Norinder told H&H.
“By restoring and enhancing the forest areas of Versailles, we’ve left behind a lasting legacy that aligns perfectly with the sustainability values of the Paris 2024 vision.”
Paris organisers announced on 12 December that they had reduced the carbon footprint of the Games by 54.6%, compared with the average for London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Iconic fences from Paris 2024 have also already featured in major competitions, including the young horse World Championships at Le Lion and Spruce Meadows “Masters”.
Ian Allison, senior vice-president, sport and media services at Spruce Meadows, told H&H the venue is “delighted” to add “magnificent jumps” from Paris to its championship collection.
“Beginning in 1976 with the Montreal Olympiad, Spruce Meadows has selectively built a truly unique inventory spanning Olympic Games and a variety of FEI championships. Like our sport, our suite of jumps truly spans the globe,” said Mr Allison.
“The addition of these signature obstacles will continue the legacy of the Paris Olympiad in the Spruce Meadows’ International Ring as it has for the games of Seoul, Sydney, Rio, London, Beijing, Tokyo, Atlanta and Athens, to name but a few.”
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