Simon Jones: Boxing clever

This year’s Silmo was all set to be the first where the dark shadow of Covid-19 hadn’t been loitering ominously in the shadows, meaning visitors could once again welcome the buzzy Paris trade show of yore.

The hot topic of conversation was rather unusual, however. People weren’t asking one another about new collections or rumoured acquisitions, but the location of exhibitor’s stands.

Despite reporting the news Silmo organisers had announced that the venue’s hall seven would be used instead of the usual hall five, I too was caught out by the switch of halls at the Parc des Expositions.

The cause of the upheaval was to make sure the venue was ready for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, although there didn’t seem to be much evidence of preparation going on for the planned boxing, modern pentathlon and sitting volleyball events set to take place next year.