Solideo chief executive Nicolas Ferrand promised works for Paris 2024 will be completed by the end of this year, but warned external pressures were a factor ©Getty Images

Most of the works required for next year's Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris will be completed by the end of the year, the head of the company responsible for building the infrastructure has promised, but warned costs will raise due to a series of issues, including the war in Ukraine. 

Solideo chief executive Nicolas Ferrand estimated that 89 per cent of the work will be done, but he expected additional costs of €150 million (£131 million/$163 million) due to inflation, the war in Ukraine and COVID-19.

"We are absolutely on schedule, within the costs and within the ambitions of the Olympic works," he told French newspaper L'Équipe.

Ferrand addressed issues which have caused concern in the preparations for Paris 2024, including delays to one of the new venues in Porte de La Chapelle Arena.

The Arena is due to stage badminton and rhythmic gymnastics during the Olympics and Para badminton and powerlifting at the Paralympics.

Ferrand revealed that consequences of the war in Ukraine were responsible for the delays, but expects the venue to be completed by the end of the year.

"It's tight but tenable," Ferrand said.

Works at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, due to host badminton and rhythmic gymnastics during the Olympics in Paris, have been delayed by problems caused by the war in Ukraine ©Paris 2024
Works at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, due to host badminton and rhythmic gymnastics during the Olympics in Paris, have been delayed by problems caused by the war in Ukraine ©Paris 2024

Concerns have been raised over a lack of air conditioning in rooms at the Athletes' Village in Saint-Denis, particularly if a heatwave coincides with the Games.

Ferrand said that "we are building rooms where it will be six degrees [Celsius] cooler than the outside temperature", and defended the move which he argued would reduce the environmental impact of Paris 2024.

"It's a question for society," he was quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Do we collectively accept being at six degrees less and having an excellent carbon footprint, or do we say it's not okay, and we're ready to downgrade the carbon footprint?"

Paris 2024 told AFP that "it's still a work in progress" on ways to monitor temperatures in rooms at the Athletes' Village.

Nicolas Ferrand said that a lack of air conditioning in the Athletes' Village was
Nicolas Ferrand said that a lack of air conditioning in the Athletes' Village was "a question for society" ©Paris 2024

Ferrand confirmed that Solideo's budget for the Games now stands at €4.49 billion (£3.93 billion/$4.88 billion), including €1.711 billion (£1.498 billion/$1.861 billion) of public funding.

He added that after the end of the Paralympic Games, Solideo would be responsible for developing Paris 2024 sites for urban usage until September 2027 before a planned dissolution in 2028.

Solideo would work with a reduced team until February 2025, before coming under the control of the Grand Paris Aménagement until September 2027.

Paris is due to host the Olympic Games for the first time in 100 years in 2024 from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8.