Home > News

IOC commits $752,000 to restore Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of 2024 Olympics

The course of the road race and marathon are planned to pass the UNESCO World Heritage Site

April 19, 2019
Share on SMS

The devastating fire that burnt through the structure of Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on Monday destroyed centuries of history. Plans to rebuild the roof, spire and restore the structure will cost hundreds of millions of dollars but the efforts have already drawn enormous endowments by billionaires, corporations and now sports federations to restore the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rear of Notre-Dame Cathedral with renovation works and scaffolding before fire broke out.

On Thursday, the International Olympic Committee said it planned to donate 500,000 euros ($752,000) to restore Notre Dame Cathedral as reported by NBC Sports.

Paris will be hosting the 2024 Olympics and French President Emmanuel Macron said that he’d like to see the cathedral restored over the next five years.

“We will rebuild the cathedral even more beautifully and I want it to be finished within five years,” Macron said in a televised address after the fire. “And we can do it.”

According to reports, the Cathedral Notre Dame is going to be on the courses for the Olympic road races and marathon leading the IOC to get behind the rebuilding efforts.

“The aim of completing the reconstruction in time for Paris 2024 will be an extra motivation for all of us,” IOC president Thomas Bach said in a letter to Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet.

“All the Olympic Movement and in particular the IOC have been extremely touched by the instantaneous connection the French have made between Notre Dame Cathedral and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”

LVMH (LVMHF), the owners of Pinarello, have pledged 200 million euros ($300 million) to the rebuilding efforts as money from around the world continues to be directed towards the rebuilding efforts.