How game-changing Paris Olympics is bringing sports to the streets

Paris is putting on its game face to welcome the world for an Olympics it hopes will transform the look and feel of the event. The Games will leave the stadiums and adapt to the city and the region, according to the International Olympic Committee.

"We are going to the heart of the city and leaving the stadiums," said Pierre Rabadan, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is a change of model for the Olympics, whose centre of gravity has long been a suburban main stadium.

"Once we are in the city centre, it's going to be special because that's a field of play and no other cities have done that," explained the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Executive Director of the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi.

"The Games adapt to the city and the region and not the reverse."

The Olympics have long been a made-for-TV spectacular with a global audience of billions, but in Paris the Games are going on location.

"When you watch this on TV, you will know it's in Paris. There will be no doubt these are the Games of Paris, whether it is the colours you use or the architecture that you see, instantly you'll know you're in Paris," said Lambis Konstantinidis, the Executive Director of Coordination and Planning for the organising committee (COJO).

The Eiffel Tower is also decked out in the five rings.

Workers are still busy on the temporary sites, but that insist Rabadan and Konstantinidis, was always the plan.

Read more on RFI English

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