Paris 2024 Olympic Games : Applying to be a volunteer

When I joined my company, it had been the IT partner with International Olympic Committee during the last Olympic Games. I wanted to join the Olympic project but it was not in the same entity as I was. So when I received an email stating that all employees can apply for Paris 2024 volunteer program, I jumped on the bandwagon.

Here are the timelines:

May 2022 : Company informed that they could propose 500 candidates to Paris 2024 volunteer program and we should send in our application

Sept 2022 : I was informed that my application was accepted, and that the company would send my information to the volunteer program

Oct 2022 : Received an email from the volunteer program stating that they have received my information, and that the process for volunteer application would open in early March 2023, 2 weeks ahead before opening to the public

March 2023 : Sent in my official application to be a volunteer. I selected Paris and Nantes as the city I wanted to be based on. Many podcasts and emails were sent to inform us regarding volunteer program

Oct 2023 : Received proposition to be a volunteer in Nantes in which I gladly accepted

March 2024 : Participated in the Volunteer Convention in Paris, transport provided

April 2024 : Received the assignment and the planning, general online training started

Jun 2024 : One hour of webinar training for the venue of assignment

July 2024 : Picked up the accreditation and uniform + attended half day of onsite training

24th July to 8th August : Volunteered for 8 football matches

August 2024 : Received the thank you note and the volunteer certificate from the program

I was assigned to the football games

In the Beaujoire Stadium, Nantes

Between 24th July to 8th August, for 8 games

I was assigned to the Event Services team. It had total 537 volunteers for this venue.

I was very emotional when I see my company's name on the lanyard for the accreditation.

After the first match, I went home with the pink pointing hands. Had fun taking photos with my girls.

Three of us wearing the uniform. I got 4 T-shirts but the size won't fit hubby.

Some selling these pink hands for 200€. Can't believe it.

Overall it was a hassle free application process. I think the fact that my company was the IT partner and it proposed our candidacies directly to the volunteer program did help to the success of the application. I met many wonderful people during the period, and I was so happy and glad to have done it. I consider that this was one of the life time opportunities. I admired those foreigners who came from far and did not speak French. The journal was more adventurous and met with many obstacles and yet they made it.

How much does it worth the Paris 2024 volunteer pack?

Yes, I was one of the volunteers out of 45000 for the Paris 2024 Olympics. I was stationed in Nantes, assigned to 8 football games in Beaujoire stadium. Very proud to be part of it and brought back very sweet memories.

We were given a volunteer pack consisted of 16 items from the sports maker Decathlon:

1 bucket hat (Bob in French)

4 T-shirts

2 detachable pants

4 pairs of socks

1 pair of shoes

1 sport bag

1 waist bag

1 windbreaker jacket

1 sleeveless vest

We were also given 1 Swatch watch and one water bottle from Coca cola.

After the last game, we were rewarded with another bag : A yellow waterproof bag with a towel, a soup and a pin.

Some groups were created to communicate among the volunteers on one application. After the closing ceremony, there are still heated discussions ongoing, one of the topics being volunteer items being sold on second hand websites with exorbitant prices!

On the website Vinted, prices vary from seller to seller and I wonder if people are really going to buy them. I mean One T-Shirt for 420€, pants for 250€, one pair of socks for 45€, Bob for 300€...Someone is selling the whole pack of 16 items for 3500€. I'm not selling mine as I feel that they are priceless.

After reading online I realized that some people are selling them to finance their stays during the volunteering period. I read that out of the 45000 volunteers, 20% came from abroad. We got one free meal and public transport during the days when we got assigned to a match, but rather than that everything else was at our own charge. Imagine you had to pay for the transport to that assigned city, accommodations, food, some leisure activities...It would be a huge budget. Anyway, some volunteers signed up and picked up their uniform, then withdrew themselves, and then sell the items online. These are unacceptable.