Paris Olympics chief Tony Estanguet stated Sunday that the city is “prepared” for the Games as he downplayed concerns from some residents and businesses regarding the event’s impact.
“We are fully prepared as we approach the final phase,” Estanguet expressed at a press conference in Paris, just five days prior to the opening ceremony next Friday.
He remarked, “We need to stay cautious until the closing ceremony is completed. But at this moment, we are exactly where we hoped to be a few years ago.”
The venues in the City of Light are being finalized, with athletes and officials arriving in large numbers, and favorable weather conditions after months of rain.
Moreover, the water quality in the river Seine, which will be used for outdoor Olympic swimming events, has significantly improved since the beginning of July.
“All indicators for the Seine look positive at this point,” added Estanguet.
The river will host the opening ceremony next Friday, featuring 6,000-7,000 athletes on 85 barges and boats.
This will be the first time a Summer Olympics commences outside the primary athletic stadium, with potentially 300,000 ticketed spectators observing from stands and riverside areas, and another 200,000 watching from nearby apartments.
About 4,000 tickets are still available, Estanguet mentioned.
“We have always aimed for high ambitions to showcase France through these Games,” Estanguet concluded.
– ‘Disruption’ –
The extensive security measures required for the opening ceremony are creating some challenges, with certain parts of central Paris and Olympic venues off-limits to the public.
Trade groups representing Paris establishments expressed concerns about reduced business and foot traffic due in part to the strict security measures.
“The decision to host Paris 2024 in the city was made with full awareness of the challenges,” Estanguet clarified. “This was an unprecedented choice for Paris 2024.”
In addition to the city center, sports events will take place at temporary venues around Paris, such as beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower, archery at the Invalides, and skateboarding at the Place de la Concorde.
“There will be some disruption, and some restrictions will be in place,” Estanguet acknowledged. “We anticipated these restrictions and communicated them well in advance.”
He expressed gratitude to those who understand the necessity for these measures in order to showcase the country in the best possible way.
– Security –
Approximately 45,000 members of the French security forces will be on duty on Friday evening when the Olympics commence at 7:30pm (1730 GMT).
“Security was the top priority for Paris 2024,” Estanguet emphasized.
Cybersecurity is a significant concern, with a recent IT outage affecting the accreditation system used for the Games due to an update to CrowdStrike software.
The International Olympic Committee is preparing for disinformation attacks targeting the event, following previous incidents attributed to Russia.
Only 15 Russians and 17 Belarusians are accredited to compete as neutrals, as most sports have banned Russians and their associates in response to the Ukraine conflict.
“There appears to be a coordinated effort against us,” remarked IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
Adams referenced a fake documentary from 2023 titled “Olympics has Fallen,” which utilized AI-generated audio impersonating Tom Cruise to undermine global support for the Games.
In other news, the star-studded USA men’s basketball team narrowly defeated South Sudan in a warmup game in London on Saturday, with LeBron James scoring the winning points with eight seconds left for a 101-100 victory at the O2 Arena.
“The conclusion was valuable for us — giving us a taste of the Paris experience,” noted USA coach Steve Kerr.
“It’s a good reminder that when we compete against teams, it’s a major event for them, and we must expect them to perform at their best.”
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