Scenario 2 :
Cooperative Games

To achieve carbon neutrality, the company relies on measured, responsible and shared consumption. Top athletes are committed to their communities, a large proportion of championships are held asynchronously across the world, and many elements are shared: infrastructure, equipment, governance, etc. Companies that are harmful to health pay a tax that helps finance the Games.

The tension is palpable this morning at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou. Temporarily transformed into an athletics stadium for the 2048 Games, the amphitheater is home to the 10 pole-vault finalists. In the stands, thousands of Beninese, Togolese, and Nigerians are fascinated to discover French champion and Olympic record-holder Corto Gard. The pole-vaulter, who cleared 6.30 meters at the 2044 Games, is still going strong with a magnificent performance of 6.25 meters after three attempts. But Corto is nervous. His friend, the German Elias Müller, is also his main competitor and could try to break the record. His record! He’s next to jump.  

Back on the athletes' bench, Corto takes a deep breath and tries to play it down. Firstly, because Elias is like his brother. Since European clubs decided to pool their sports facilities, the two athletes have spent a lot of time together. And who doesn’t dream of seeing their brother win? Also, because, in the event of a new world record, the bonus is now shared by all athletes in the discipline to encourage mutual support and elevate athletics. He holds on to his title but wouldn’t say no to a little extra income. Finally, because he knows how lucky he is to be here, and it would be wrong not to savor the moment.  

Four years ago, he learned that the Citizens' Convention of the Games had chosen to include pole vaulting among the disciplines represented at the event. That same week, a young hopeful from his club, now a cooperative society of collective interest, called to tell him that employees, volunteers, members, and supporters had chosen to put their trust in him. It was so unpredictable, with so many people involved, that he wept with joy. But how could he stay serene when the young man who called him is surely counting on him? What would he say if Elias stole his thunder?  

He’ll tell him that pole vaulting is fascinating and exhilarating, but also extremely demanding, and that sometimes you lose. He’ll remind him that top-level sport is also, and above all, about spending time together at the club, the hub of the neighborhood, where he is responsible for organizing weekly awareness-raising activities on health, nutrition, the climate, and self-improvement. Corto remembers helping that teenager choose his first fiberglass pole from those shared and loaned at the material library.  

He’ll finally tell him about the extraordinary adventure of the Games. At a time when most athletics competitions are held asynchronously around the world, this in-person encounter is the experience of a lifetime, beyond the record.  

He thinks of Afiavi, a Beninese woman in her fifties with a strong character, who has taken him in since the start of the competition. It hasn’t always been easy to get along. For the first time this year, homestays replaced the Olympic Village. Hundreds of citizens applied to host an athlete. Afiavi convinced the organizers with her long-standing commitment to the local community center, where she runs mobility workshops for retirees. Tonight, despite their differences, she plans to cook him a chicken from the garden, victory or not.  

He’s also thinking about tomorrow’s journey: the French caravan. Corto flew to Benin, but the Citizens' Convention of the Games has asked each team to set an example of sustainable mobility on their return. France, which introduced a heavy tax on health-damaging companies such as McBouff, decided to use the funds to finance a major tour of West and North Africa. All the athletes will set off together in electric buses for a 2,000-km journey and 15 stopovers to meet locals. Corto thinks the tour would have a completely different flavor if he were still the record-holder...  

The cheers of the audience snap him out of his thoughts. His German friend stands ready at the end of the runway. Everything seems to hang in the balance now.  

Elias Müller holds his pole firmly, his gaze fixed on the 6.32-meter-high bar. The murmurs of the crowd fade away. The athlete closes his eyes briefly, visualizing his jump. Suddenly, he takes off. His strides are powerful, and the vibrating pole seems to head straight for the bumper. The audience doesn’t have time to breathe before Elias rises into the air, spreading his legs with acrobatic precision. Time stretches. The curve is perfect! He begins his descent, heart pounding. Lying back on the mat, he looks up at the bar still resting on the poles and hears the deafening applause of the stadium.  

Elias has done it! So much for the glory of the "caravan tour," Corto rushes onto the track, shouting with joy, and hugs his friend. A new world record! Elias Müller rises, and all the community spaces in Germany must tremble under the weight of fans gathered in front of the TV!  

Suddenly, calm returns. Only seconds remain before discovering who wins the gold medal. Of course! Corto had been so obsessed with his record that he forgot the new rules: performance isn’t everything. When rating athletes, social commitment, environmental impact, and fair play also count. Spectators worldwide are rating this last dimension, while the first two are precisely calculated by the OCI, the International Accounting Organization.  

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Corto Gard is a gold medalist! His commitment to his club and his participation in the caravan tour seem to have worked in his favor. As tradition dictates, his prize money will go to the association for ocean preservation, which he champions at every competition. But he’ll handle that later.  

For now, Elias is the record-holder, and Corto is the gold medalist. For now, the two friends celebrate their shared victory, and the entire pole-vaulting community celebrates with them. Life is good.