An environmental charity based in France has opted out of participating in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the Paris Olympics due to Coca-Cola’s prominent sponsorship role.
“Clean My Calanques,” an NGO dedicated to beach cleaning in Marseille, received funding from the 2024 Paris Olympics organizing committee for its educational initiatives aimed at school children. However, the organization announced on Monday its decision to forego participation in the torch relay, scheduled to commence in Marseille on May 8, partly due to financial backing from Coca-Cola, a premium Olympics sponsor.
Eric Akopian, the founder of Clean My Calanques, expressed the organization’s stance, stating, “We are not going to carry a flame which is paid for by the same people who make us bend over.”
Established in 2017, Clean My Calanques mobilizes volunteers to clean beaches in Marseille and the nearby national Calanques park, a picturesque destination popular among tourists and locals. Akopian highlighted Coca-Cola’s environmental impact, citing its bottles and cans as among the most frequently found items during the charity’s beach-cleaning efforts.
In a video posted on Instagram, Akopian emphasized the organization’s discomfort with the commercial aspects of the Olympics, particularly the proliferation of branded merchandise known as “goodies,” which often end up as litter on coastlines.
While French authorities anticipate up to 150,000 people gathering in Marseille for the torch relay kickoff, Clean My Calanques’ decision underscores growing concerns about corporate sponsorship and environmental responsibility.
Paris 2024 organizers have collaborated with Coca-Cola to mitigate plastic waste from beverage packaging. The partnership includes the installation of 700 redesigned drink fountains at Olympic venues, aiming to serve approximately 50 percent of soft drinks without plastic bottles, according to the organizing committee.
