Pending IOC decision on Russian and Paris opening ceremony

He International Olympic Committee (IOC) indicated Friday that its executive committee will decide at its next meeting whether Russian and Belarusian athletes will participate in the opening ceremony of the Games in Paris.

At the end of the seventh and final visit of the COE Coordination Committee, the president of Paris 2024 Organization Committee, Tony Estanguetindicated that the decision was made for the ceremony to begin at 7:30 pm

It’s about using natural light in part and finishing it at night, to “take advantage of the different atmospheres of the city,” according to Estanguet.

“It allows the fall of twilight to coincide and the theme of the ceremony will offer an unforgettable spectacle, both day and night,” the organizers insist.

The ceremony will take place at signwhere different delegations will parade in boats that will travel 6 kilometers of the river.

At the same time, twelve artistic shows will be presented, in addition to others that will be represented in the monuments located on the axis of the river such as the cathedral of Notre Damethe museums of Louvre and Orsayhe Pont des Arts before coming to TrocaderoIn front of Eiffel Tower.

Estanguet responded to the controversy that arose in France after the Minister of the Interior, Gerard Darmaninit was announced that the invitations to watch the ceremony on the banks of the river for free were not open to all, as had been previously assured.

For the president of the Organizing Committee, this proposal, adopted for security reasons and to reward people affected by the preparations for the Games, “does not mean that this is the most open ceremony in history.”

He admitted that the ceremony would have fewer than the 600,000 attendees initially announced, and attributed this downward revision of numbers to “artistic and security constraints.”

“It is still something unprecedented. It will be the most open ceremony in history,” said Estanguet, pointing out that if it is held at the Stade de France it will receive fewer spectators.

Darmanin indicated that 326,000 people were on the banks of the Seine to observe the ceremony, 104,000 on paid stands on the wharves along the river bed, 222,000 on the upper side, free of charge, and another 200,000 in the buildings overlooking the river. the river

Initially it was announced that the free places would be raffled off, but the minister indicated that, finally, his department would distribute those tickets to town councils and administrations involved in the Olympic organization.

The president of the IOC Coordination Commission, Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant, indicated that “there is no cause for concern” regarding the preparation of the Games, which are “on schedule.”

He expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the works and the preparation of the competitions and, although he assured that there is still work to be done, he expressed his confidence that “Paris will have different Games” and they will be “the first to respect the 2020 agenda.” of the IOC”.

“There are 140 days left before the inauguration ceremony and I believe excellence is within reach. We must continue the work day by day, but we do not see any major obstacles,” he assured.

In his opinion, the fact that the popular enthusiasm has weakened “is normal at this point in the preparation, when the citizens suffer from the problems arising from the works,” but he is convinced that when the Games start will change the trend.

He recalled that this fallout was also identified in London 2012 and, after the Games, more than 70% of Londoners wanted them to be reorganized.

Estanguet indicated that 8.8 million tickets have been sold and there are about 2 million left, of which 1 million correspond to football, which will be sold next month.