Ferrand, who heads the state-owned company in charge of the construction projects for Paris 2024, told a National Assembly working group that he was hopeful the funding protocol would be signed on March 22, when Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet is due to visit Marseille.

As reported by L'Équipe, Ferrand told the national politicians that city authorities were liaising with departmental and regional leaders to determine where responsibilities lay for funding.

The project's estimated total cost is €41 million (£34 million/$46.5 million), per Ferrand and L'Équipe, with Solideo committing to supplying €25 million (£21 million/$28.5 million).

However, Marseille itself contributed €20 million (£16.5 million/$22.5 million) of that Solideo sum, with the French state offering just €5 million (£4 million/$5.5 million).

Ferrand's comments suggest city leaders hope the Bouches-du-Rhône department and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region will aid in the remaining €16 million (£13.5 million/$18 million) of funding for land and maritime upgrades.

"We will be able to deliver everything for the event tests in 2023," Ferrand insisted, adding that the maritime works are due to begin at the end of next month.

Sailing and football events are both due to be held in Marseille come the 2024 Olympics.

Nice is also set to stage football matches, with two cities in the south of France set to benefit from the Olympics, but the mainland will notably not host surfing competition, with that instead heading to overseas territory Tahiti.

Ferrand also conceded that inflation in the price of raw materials meant that the cost of building venues and infrastructure for Paris 2024 was above projections - respectively up at 5.5 and 7.3 per cent increases, rather than 3.0 and 2.5 - but insisted there were "no white elephants" being built.

Paris 2024 has already sought to make cost savings in response to the coronavirus pandemic - Estanguet told insidethegames in 2020 that "millions of euros" was being saved thanks to transport, accommodation and human resources tweaks - and Ferrand told the National Assembly that the Games' funding model could be reassessed if necessary.

Ferrand was additionally quizzed about the shooting venue, with speculation rife that Châteauroux could replace the planned site in La Courneuve, but the Solideo managing director insisted La Courneuve remained the first choice.

Châteauroux is only a back-up plan for if environmental permits are not granted at Terrain des Essences in La Courneuve, Ferrand said, and claimed that officials had avoided "putting on wigs" when they visited Châteauroux to ensure everything was above board.