Olympic Agenda 2020 and Paris 2024: Driving Change or Rhetoric as Usual?

Abstract Protests over sustainability concerns attached to hosting the Olympic Games have resulted in several bid withdrawals and a low number of candidate cities willing to host the most recent editions. Worried about the future, the International Olympic Committee adopted the Olympic Agenda 2020, promising to adapt the event to contemporary sustainability paradigms. Some of its urban-related reforms have already impacted recently hosted Games and are impacting the planning for those to come. The IOC claims that Paris 2024 will be the first Games to be fully aligned with the Agenda. This article addresses the urban preparations for Paris 2024 and assesses their alignment with the new reforms. The objective is to identify difficulties in the implementation of the Agenda and to outline future research that can, potentially, enhance its efficiency. Results reveal Paris 2024 is innovative but certain features are difficult to implement, leaving room to improve the Agenda.