Tahitian surfer Matahi Drollet, one of the leading local representatives speaking out against the new surfing tower for Paris 2024, said in a new video on Instagram that the organizers “have been lying.”

“You have heard what seems to be positive news but unfortunately this is not the case,” she said, referring to the announcement that the tower had been reduced. “To me it seems impossible to build 12 new foundations without destroying the reef,” she explained, insisting that the wooden tower used in WSL tournaments since 2003 be used.

The latest Paris 2024 statement said that this tower did not meet safety standards; for this, in the video they present one of the builders of the same, Mati Hoffmann, who assures that: “they are still intact”

“I can say with certainty that drilling 56 new holes in the reef represents a considerable risk to the bottom of the coral reef,” Hoffmann added.

Drollet explains that the study that Paris 2024 uses to argue that the old tower does not meet safety standards was never shared with them.

On the other hand, in the video, Titouan Bernicot, CEO of Coral Gardeners, says that the new tower: “It will certainly have an impact on the Teahupoo ecosystem. It is difficult to predict the consequences but it is certain that there will be an impact.”

“The Olympic Games are an example of shared values ​​and should set an example. I cannot imagine how difficult it is to organise an event like this, but today is about the message,” added Bernicot.

On the other hand, Drollet sent a message to the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, denying that the protests in Teahupoo have been violent as she declared, but quite the opposite.

“No championship in this world is worth destroying nature, it goes against surfing and sport in general. I am afraid that once again financial issues will take over nature,” concluded Drollet.

Paris 2024 responded to the post with the same note explaining the new, smaller tower they planned after the first protests.

Slater said it makes no sense to create that risk for a two-day event and proposed using the old foundation for the new tower.

Surfing in Paris 2024 will take place between July 27 and 30.

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