Plan to keep Olympic rings on Eiffel Tower sparks criticism

Plans by Paris's mayor to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower have been condemned by designer Gustave Eiffel's descendants and provoked a backlash from some Parisians.

The giant logo was a popular backdrop for selfies by visitors to Paris during the July 28-August 11 Olympic Games in the French capital, which were widely hailed as a triumph.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced on Saturday that she intended to take down the interlocking rings, which are too heavy to remain on the beloved monument, and replace them with new lighter versions.

"It does not seem appropriate to us that the Eiffel Tower, which has become the symbol of Paris and the whole of France since its construction 135 years ago, has the symbol of an outside organisation added to it in a permanent way, whatever its prestige," a statement from the Association of Gustave Eiffel's Descendants said.

The association's chairman Olivier Berthelot-Eiffel, a great-great-grandson of Eiffel, told AFP the family did not see any problem with the rings staying longer than the Paralympic Games which wrap up on September 8.

"But the Eiffel Tower should not become an advertising outpost. Anne Hidalgo should have said that she wanted to keep the Olympic rings, not that she had decided it, and then discussed the idea with the Paris council and relevant individuals," he explained.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati, a long-time critic and opponent of Hidalgo, also cast doubt over the idea, saying the Socialist city leader would need to follow procedures protecting historic buildings.

"The Eiffel Tower is a protected monument, the work of an immense engineer and designer," Dati said in a statement.

- 'A mistake' -

Reaction on social media was mixed, but many Parisians appeared dubious about modifying the symbol of the city that is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

"The Eiffel Tower has a history of 135 years and surpasses a sports and media event of 17 days," commented the SOS Paris group, which campaigns to protect Paris's landmarks and environment.

The chairman of the association Friends of the Champs de Mars, the park around the Eiffel Tower, said the idea "needed to be the subject of a wider consultation".

"We consider that the biggest priority is maintenance of the tower," Gerard Der Agobian told AFP.

The tower's workers launched a five-day strike in February to protest against its state of disrepair and to urge the city to spend more on painting and anti-rust protection.

"For me, this is a mistake," Paris MP Sylvain Maillard, from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, told France Bleu Paris radio of Hidalgo's idea. "The Games were a very powerful moment, but the Eiffel Tower embodies something timeless."

Hidalgo had already announced her intention to retain some of the symbols of the Olympics, including the innovative cauldron placed in front of the Louvre museum as well as statues used during the opening ceremony.

She told the Ouest-France newspaper on Saturday that she wanted to keep the rings and "the decision is up to me and I have the agreement of the IOC (International Olympic Committee)."

The IOC, a Switzerland-based non-profit, is highly protective of its logo, which it lends to major corporations in lucrative sponsorship deals.

Hidalgo, a 65-year eco-minded left-winger in power for a decade, is admired by many for her policies to restrict cars and promote cycling in Paris.

But she has also been dogged by complaints about cleanliness and failing to protect the city's historic character.

A viral online campaign in 2021 called #saccageParis (#TrashedParis), in which residents shared pictures of filth or ugliness, struck a chord in a city that prides itself on its elegance.

A petition against the Olympic rings on Change.org had been signed by 15,000 people on Monday afternoon.