A homebase for Pacific athletes in Divonne-les-Bains

Just weeks away from the start of the Paris Olympic Games, athletes from 11 Pacific nations were warmly welcomed into the small town of Divonne-les-Bains, close to the Swiss border, to undertake their final preparations.

Popularly known as Divonne, the town has become the home base of more than 70 athletes and officials representing American Samoa, Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Officials from respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have also made Divonne a home base.  

The pre-Games training camp is an initiative of the Oceanic National Olympic Committees (ONOC), delivered in partnership with the Pacific NOCs and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), and supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports. It was the enthusiasm of the 10,000-strong Divonne community and Mayor Vincent Scattolin, however, that ensured the success of the venture.

In 2023, ONOC representatives including President Dr Robin Mitchell and Executive Director Inoke Bainimarama of Fiji, along with Secretary General, Ricardo Blas of Guam, visited Divonne to meet with the mayor and tour the town’s facilities.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our community to be able to support athletes and coaches from the Oceania region and the Pacific Islands prior to the Paris Olympic Games,” said Mayor Scatollin during the visit. “Divonne has a long history of supporting international teams and events and will certainly provide the necessary facilities for these countries and NOCs to be properly prepared for Paris 2024.”

Finding their feet in France

From 10 July, the Pacific athletes began arriving in Divonne – including the Samoa’s men’s Rugby 7s team who played a friendly match with a local French-Swiss team as part of their preparations. The town’s gymnasium was transformed into a local version of the Olympic Village, with spaces for the athletes to eat, sleep, relax, and get to know each other.

Training sessions have been held at the town’s football fields, swimming pools, and track and field facilities, with opportunities for athletes to access comprehensive support services, including nutritional guidance and medical services.

Almost 100 Divonne residents have volunteered their time - doing their best to give the athletes a comfortable home-away-from-home experience, and involving them in local activities including markets, picnics, barbecues and the Bastille Day celebrations.  

“The pre-Games training camp in Divonne-les-Bains is a crucial step in our athletes' journey to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” said Dr. Mitchell. “[But] the camp is not just about training. It is about building relationships, sharing cultures, and preparing mentally and physically for the challenges ahead. We are confident that our athletes will benefit greatly from this experience."

The camp is now wrapping up, with athletes starting to relocate to the Olympic Games Village. Once visitors have departed, the Divonne community will ready their public spaces for ‘Club Paris 2024’, a fan zone along the edges of the lake, where the successes of the Pacific athletes will be celebrated with pride.