Paris, May 23 (BNA): The organizers of the Paris Olympics said they had sold 6.8 million tickets out of the 10 million available 14 months before the opening ceremony, and on Tuesday brushed off criticism that prices were too high.
The second leg of tickets that finished last week exceeded expectations, said Tony Estanguet, head of the organizing committee, despite some fans and athletes complaining about exorbitant prices, according to the Associated Press.
The most expensive tickets are 2,700 euros ($2,900) for the opening ceremony, and the sports with the highest prices are athletics, swimming and basketball. The cheapest tickets are €24 ($26) and were snapped up quickly, leaving only 200,000 low-cost seats available in a later round to the frustration of many buyers.
The main objective is to keep a large amount of tickets affordable, Estanguet said, noting that 5.3 percent of tickets costing €400 each guarantee four million seats can be bought for €50 or less.
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