Project and change management are integral to the successful planning, execution, and legacy of the Olympics.
Marbral Advisory’s Change Architect, Carrie Harding, looks at what we can all learn from the diverse and sustainable project management of this year’s iconic event.
In my time as a project manager, I have seen many large projects unfold, requiring huge teams for planning, infrastructure, and delivery. There is no greater example of how communities and teams can pull together in a tight timescale than with the Olympics.
This year, I believe, will be the most extraordinary yet and here are eight things you should look out for at the Paris Olympics:
1. The Opening ceremony is taking place in just over two months and for the first time it won’t be held in a stadium. Instead, the ceremony is happening along the River Seine with free admission for spectators who want to watch along the riverside, which incidentally will be clean enough to swim in.
2. Paris 2024 has vowed to halve the carbon footprint versus the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games.
Athletes will sleep on mattresses made from recycled fishing nets and bed bases from reinforced cardboard
This will be achieved by having a methodology defined in advance and fully integrated into the overall strategy and operations. Nearly all (95%) of Paris 2024 events will be hosted in existing buildings such as the Stade de France – originally built for the 1998 football World Cup – or in temporary venues in the heart of the city. Athletes will sleep on mattresses made from recycled fishing nets and bed bases from reinforced cardboard, 3,000 more pay as you go bikes are being made available for visitors and nearly all Olympic venues are accessible by public transport.
3. Utilising AI to enhance security – According to the Paris Tourist Office, the city is expecting around 15 million visitors during the Games. In light of the terrorist attacks in 2015 and the chaos at the 2022 Champions League final at the Stade de France, the National Assembly has passed special legislation that will apply for the duration of the Olympic Games and a few months beyond. Among other things, this will allow for mass video surveillance with AI-controlled cameras and drones that are designed to detect suspicious movements of individuals or large groups of people and alert the police if necessary.
4. Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete as neutrals without their flags and anthems and will be excluded from the opening parade. Russia, in retaliation, has said they will relaunch a multi-sport ‘friendship games’ in 2024, a move the International Olympic Committee has criticised as ‘political action’.
5. Critics on twitter (X) are comparing the design of the Paris 2024 logo to the Tinder logo, a sultry Parisian woman and Rachael Green from Friends – Oh la la!
6. Aya Nakamura has been invited to perform at the opening ceremony which has sparked an almighty row in France about identity and language. She may be the most listened to French singer in the world (Her best-known song, Djajda, has had close to a billion streams on YouTube alone) but detractors are saying her music owes more to Africa and the United States than it does in France.
In my opinion, there is no better way of showcasing the vibrancy of modern-day French culture.
7. New sports included for the first time; breaking (or breakdancers if you come from a certain generation). Athletes will use a combination of power moves including windmills, the 6-step and freezes – as they adapt their moves and improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks in a bid to secure the judges’ votes and take home the first Olympic breaking title.
8. Women will take another step forward in their long march for equality, competing in equal numbers with men for the first time.
Furthermore, French Judo star Agbegneno has been campaigning for the needs of new mothers in sports resulting in the French Olympic committee providing hotel rooms for its breast feeding athletes. This will allow athletes the opportunity to continue their careers whilst balancing the needs of their babies. Vive la France!
Project and change management will ensure that the Games are delivered on time, within budget, and with lasting positive impacts for the host city and stakeholders.
I can’t wait to see the Games unfold!
Marbral Advisory makes change wanted, happen, and stick. Our consultants work with managers and teams to support them through programmes, projects and change across all industries. If you need support, please head to our website or email us today.
Main picture: Carrie Harding
