Macron announced plan B for the inauguration, more limited or in the stadium

The president of France, Emmanuel Macronthis Monday revealed alternative plans for opening ceremony of Olympic Games in Paris: limit it to space or make it to Stade de Francealthough he was convinced that he could perform on the waters of the Seine despite the terrorist threat.

Although Macron has assured in the past that there are other options for the inauguration ceremony, this is the first time he has specified the scenarios being considered.

“The ceremony we are planning is a world first. We can do it and we are going to do it (…) But we have plans B and plans C and we prepare them in parallel,” he said in an interview with BFMTV television.

Macron specified the two, holding the ceremony in the gardens of the Trocadero, which in the initial plan was the final point of the parade of delegations along the Seine, or taking it to the Stade de France in Saint Denis, which will host athletics.

The French president pointed out that they are not facing the situation “naively”, but rather “aware” of the threats hanging over that ceremony.

“We do not minimize the situation, the world is in turmoil, we have a war in Europe (in Ukraine), we see what is happening in the Middle East, that there is a terrorist risk. But we are preparing to face it, with transparency,” said Macron.

He emphasized that the police deployment was unprecedented and, given the doubts of a viewer about whether he should let his son attend that ceremony, he assured that “there will be no safer place.”

Macron pointed out that anti-terrorist monitoring is complete and carried out in coordination with other countries, which will oversee their own delegations but will also share information with France to prevent attacks.

“We are permanently cooperating with our counterparts, in terms of intelligence and information,” he assured.

In that sense, he indicated that “a few months ago an attempted attack in Strasbourg led by the same people who made one in Moscow” at the end of March was dismantled.

Macron is convinced that during the Games there will be “an Olympic truce” that will allow the sporting event to take place calmly, for which he will ask for the cooperation of Chinese President Xi Jimping, who will soon travel to Paris.

The president recalled that Russian athletes could participate without the flag and justified that the same decision would not be made to the Israelis, as some organizations are asking in retaliation for their actions in Gaza.

“Russia has committed aggression in Ukraine. Israel is the victim of a terrorist attack. It is true that, in response, it is bombing Gaza and killing civilians, so we are calling for a truce, ” he explained.

“But we cannot say that Israel is an attacker and that is an important difference (with Russia) and that is why its athletes are with their flag at the Games, which I hope will be a vector of peace,” he emphasized.

Faced with a survey indicating that only 55% of French people seem involved in the Games, Macron is convinced that participation will increase and set the date for May 8, when the Olympic torch arrives in the country and begins its journey to in 460 cities.

“In the end, the whole country will be proud,” said the president, indicating that the Games will leave “a great legacy” in the country, such as the sanitation of the Seine water, the rehabilitation of depressed neighborhoods or some sports infrastructure.

Unions have called or threatened to call strikes in various sectors, such as public transport, during the Games, but Macron has expressed his “confidence” in union organizations to prevent further stoppages. this.

“I tell the unions that France needs to show that it knows how to organize the Games, being respectful of rights. I am asking for an Olympic truce, I trust them, in their spirit of responsibility,” he concluded.