The Eiffel Tower will keep the Olympic rings that have adorned it since June even after the ongoing Paralympic Games are over, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has said.
"As mayor of Paris, the decision is up to me and I have the agreement of the IOC (International Olympic Committee)," Hidalgo was quoted as saying by AFP.
"So yes, they (the rings) will stay on the Eiffel Tower," she said, without specifying for how long.
She said five lighter rings of the same size would replace those fixed on the French capital's most iconic monument as the current ones were "too heavy" to last long.
Hidalgo also reiterated his desire for the Olympic cauldron to remain in the Tuileries Gardens, but President Emmanuel Macron will have the final say as the site is state property.
Organizers received widespread domestic and international praise for the smooth running of the games, with Paris' most iconic monuments providing a picturesque backdrop.
Hidalgo hailed the success, in which the French people "fell in love with Paris again", which "will never be the same again", citing plans to re-authorize swimming in parts of the River Seine by the summer of 2025 | BGNES
