Olympics Opening Ceremony on Seine in Doubt

By Anezka Pichrtova

The City of Lights is starting its countdown to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

The City Council and French President Emmanuel Macron have said the biggest sporting event in the world will run smoothly, but concerns remain as France’s security alert stays at its highest level since a terror attack in Moscow, Russia, in March claimed by the Islamic State.

The fragile political situation, amid the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, has made the situation even more challenging for organizers, with fears of possible attacks rising.

Last month, police arrested a teenager who was allegedly planning an attack during the games. In a separate incident that further highlighted the gravity of the situation, a 26-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly planning a mass killing in Bordeaux, a city on France’s west coast. The arrests have intensified the need for robust security measures as the event draws closer.

In April, Macron confirmed the possibility of moving the opening ceremony from the Seine.

“We have fallback scenarios, plan Bs, and plan Cs,” Macron told Politico.

Olympic Organizing Committee CEO Etienne Thobois confirmed that they are leaving the door slightly open for the possibility of moving the ceremony. But, he said, he is “99.99 percent sure” that it is going to happen as planned.

The opening ceremony, set for July 26, has already been drastically scaled down. Originally, the city expected more than 600,000 spectators to attend the event on the Seine, with athletes greeting them from boats sailing from the Eiffel Tower 4 miles down the river to the Trocadero. Due to security threats, those wishing to see the ceremony must now purchase a ticket, with less than half the original number of attendees allowed.

Other concerns revolve around the safety of swimmers in the Seine. France has already spent $1.5 billion to clean up the river, as several events are scheduled to be held there. However, environmental non-profit organizations have raised concerns about two types of bacteria found in the river. The pollution has been so severe that swimming in the Seine has been illegal for more than 100 years.

There is also uncertainty about whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will attend the closing ceremony. It has been announced that they will not participate in the parade during the opening ceremony in 50 days. So far, 58 Russian and Belarusian athletes have qualified for the Olympics but will have to compete as neutrals, meaning no flag, anthem or colors representing their countries.

“The decision on the participation of AINs in the Closing Ceremony will be taken at a later stage, taking into account that it is not the teams that enter the Closing Ceremony, but all the athletes jointly together,” said James Macleod, the International Olympic Committee director during a press conference in Switzerland.

The individual neutral athletes (AINs) will, according to the Olympic Committee, have a joint anthem and specially designed flag.

Source: Newsweek