As part of the Paris 2024 bid, on 23 June 2015, coinciding with the celebration of Olympic Day, Paris officially announced its bid to host the third Olympic Games.

The commitment was to make these Games sustainable, reduce the carbon footprint and be environmentally friendly. Nine years later, Paris 2024 has largely achieved its goals.

A significant proportion of the sports equipment used during the Games will be reused or donated to the French sports movement, giving it a second life. Many items will be donated, others will be sold, but none will end up in the rubbish.

The event, which ended on Sunday 11 August, required around 1.2 million pieces of sports equipment, 75% of which were rented in line with Paris 2024's circular economy strategy.

The remaining 25%, purchased with the support of theNational Sports Agency (ANS), will be donated to French sports federationsfor the benefit of athletes at all levels.

The donation of sports equipment and the auctions are part of a global circular economy strategy implemented by Paris 2024. This strategy aims to reduce, reuse and share resources to minimise the environmental impact of the event.

Ninety per cent of the six million physical assets used for the Games will be recovered for reuse by suppliers and partners.For example, Lyreco, an official supplier, has launched a new range of second-hand furniture. The remaining 10% of assets, managed directly by the Organising Committee, will also be given a second life.

In addition, organisations such as the City of Paris and the Emmaus Movement are committed to redistributing equipment to organisations that support vulnerable people. National Olympic and Paralympic Committees will also donate products and equipment to charities.

Paris 2024's sustainable and responsibleapproach ensures that the equipment and resources used during the Games not only contribute to the success of the event, but also leave a positive legacy for communities and the environment.

The National Federations, in collaboration with the ANS, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) and the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF), have identified the organisations that will receive the donated equipment.

Many donation agreements have already been signed and others are in the process of being finalised. This initiative aims to widen access to physical activity, particularly in areas with limited sports infrastructure, such as Seine-Saint-Denis, a French department covering 236 km² in the Île-de-France region and home to almost 1.4 million inhabitants.

Among the main federations that will benefit from the donations are the French Volleyball Federation (FFVB), which will receive balls, nets, posts and flooring for its centres throughout France; the French Badminton Federation (FFBaD), which will benefit from equipment for both Olympic and Paralympic disciplines, particularly in the Pays de la Loire region; and the French Taekwondo Federation (FFTDA), which will distribute the equipment to various clubs in the Paris region.

The sand used for the temporary beach volleyball stadium near the Eiffel Tower for Paris 2024 will be reused for new courts in Seine-Saint-Denis and Taverny. The Skateboard Street area will be relocated to Seine-Saint-Denis after the Games, and the temporary pools installed at the Paris La Défense Arena will also be reused at several sites in Seine-Saint-Denis.

For the remaining equipment, some of which is still in use for theParalympic Games, auctions and second-hand markets will be held from today on, giving collectors and the general public the opportunity to bid for it.

After the Paralympic Games, auctions will be held throughout France to sell memorabilia and items used during the Games, such as uniforms, cups, flags and decorations, offering fans a unique opportunity to acquire a piece of Olympic history at affordable prices.

The calendar of second-hand fairs includes:

- Mulhouse (15/09)

- Pantin (22/09)

- Rouen (22/09)

- Nanterre (05/10)

- Compiègne (06/10)

- Rennes (12/10)

- Vichy (13/10)

- Carcassonne in Occitania (13/10)

Dates in other cities such as Paris, Reims, Montpellier and Châteauroux will be confirmed soon.