Safety is the Paris Games' top priority, organizing committee chief Tony Estanguet said on Thursday after the construction of a judging tower for the surfing competition at next year's Olympics was stopped because of environmental concerns.
Last week, a barge bringing the aluminum tower to the Tahiti site of Teahupo'o damaged the coral reef, bringing work to a halt.
"We had found a solution to replace that (wooden judging) tower which did not meet the (Olympic) safety standards. We will not compromise on safety," Estanguet told local TV channel Polynesie La 1ere.