Paris2024 promises to be an immersive experience with unparalleled emotions for athletes and fans. An event where the unparalleled cultural heritage of Paris aims to embrace the best athletes, such as Simone Biles, Armand Duplantis or the Portuguese Pedro Pichardo.
The next Olympic Games (OG) want to turn the city, where the birth of the father of the Modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Fredy, Baron de Coubertin, took place on January 1, 1863, into a gigantic and spectacular open-air Olympic Stadium. 16 days (from July 26 to August 11, 2024).
Equestrian events with the Palace of Versailles in the background, battles breakdance on Place de la Concorde, the cycling time trial on the Pont Alexandre III, the start of the marathon in front of the neo-Renaissance facade of the Hôtel de Ville, the velodrome on the Champs-Elysées and beach volleyball in Mont-martre, will contain unrepeatable moments. The return of the legendary Olympic Stadium of Yves-du-Manoir, which hosted the 1924 Games and will also host hockey, will also be notable.
Organization and safety are put to the test during the opening parade along the River Seine. For the first time in history, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium. On July 26, 2024, thousands of athletes will parade along the Seine on boats, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of around 500,000 people. An excellent tourist route from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Trocadero that poses major safety concerns. “There are of course plans B, plans C, etc… It is an event that will take place with the best safety standards and that is why we have planned all the scenarios. But that should not stop us from dreaming”, said: this week the French president.
Security warning, QR code…
According to the Report on the Situation and Trends of Terrorism in the European Union 2023, France was the second country in the EU with the most attacks (six) and the most arrests following attacks (109). But Emmanuele Macron tried to downplay warnings about possible terrorist attacks and cyber attacks with the 30,000 police officers and 17,000 private security guards deployed.
Plan A provides for the installation of a military camp with 5,000 daily troops. Residents near the Olympic Games venues must apply for a QR code, which will allow them to pass through police barriers and register their guests so they can watch the events from their balconies, windows or rooftops. Metro stations near the testing locations are closed. Video surveillance will also be strengthened and in some cases artificial intelligence will be used to perform facial recognition, something that French law prohibits and which has led the centrist and far-left opposition to accuse Macron of “attacks on freedom.”
The French president has shown his annoyance at Parisians’ “indifference” to the world’s biggest sporting event, justifying the daily discomfort with the heritage and beyond that the Games will leave to the city. The purification of the River Seine, where swimming has been banned for a hundred years due to poor water quality, is one of these cases and will cost 1.4 billion euros.. The municipality hopes to allow swimming in the Seine by 2025 and has already received twenty river beach projects.
Paris2024 will certainly not go down in history because of its record investments. France wants the next Olympic (and Paralympic) Games to be innovative and generous, designed with a logic of sharing and sustainability. They will cost 4.38 billion euros, a third of Tokyo 2020.
That is why 95% of the existing or temporary facilities are aligned with the city’s long-term development plans. Example of the Olympic Village, which made it possible to restore the ill-fated area of Saint-Denis or the spectacular architectural work that will become the new Saint-Denis Aquatic Center – stage for synchronized swimming, diving and water polo -, the largest solar park in France , with 5000 m² of photovoltaic panels and furniture made from recycled products. Or even the Porte de la Chapelle Arena, ecologically designed for badminton and gymnastics events.
Aside from safety warnings and infestations of rats and bedbugs, the transportation of athletes from the Olympic Village to the competition venues is also a concern for most of the 206 countries (plus the refugee team) and the head of the Portuguese mission is no exception. The IOC’s recommendation to use public transport also raises concerns for Marco Alves.
Numerical gender equality
Of the 10,500 athletes who will be present at Paris2024, half (5,250) will be women. Achieving numerical gender equality in the city where 22 women (among 975 men) made history in 1900 will have special symbolism. The pioneers were only allowed to participate in five disciplines without the right to medals, and were also excluded again.
Unable to convince the IOC to allow athletes to participate in traditional sports, French canoeist and journalist Alice Milliat decided in 1922 to create a women’s sports federation and organize the Women’s Olympic Games. The success of the event forced the IOC to admit the women. athletics in 1928, but it was not until 68 years later that the right to participate was enshrined in the Olympic Charter. In Tokyo2020, the percentage of female athletes was already 48.7%.
Having the same number of athletes and medals for men and women at the Olympic Games is far from implying gender equality in sport. At Tokyo2020, only 13% of coaches were women. Numerical gender equality will also be a huge challenge for the organization of world calendars, testing the fairness of the qualification methods for Paris 2024. Because after all, the Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which in Latin means “Faster, Bigger, Stronger.”
The organization again excluded Russia. After excluding the Russians due to the doping scandal that was repeated at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, the International Olympic Committee has excluded Russia (and Belarus) due to the military intervention in Ukraine. Athletes can compete under the Olympic flag.
Paris2024 will also innovate in the field of ticketing. With approximately 10 million tickets on sale, the sales system will be 100% digital and accessible to everyone on equal terms and there will be many events with free tickets.
Source: DN
