By Humberto Viera
May 3, 2024, 11:17 AM EDT
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11, will have a unique opening ceremony: it will take place along the Seine River, instead of taking place in a stadium as usual.
The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, confirmed this decision in a recent interview, ensuring that security measures are being reinforced to guarantee a safe event despite terrorist threats.
“The decision is clear: it will be in the Sena,” Bach said in an interview on ‘El Món a RAC1’ collected by EFE, 85 days before the start of the Games.
“Unfortunately, we are at a time when any large event must take into account the security problems of the area. The French authorities have been doing it for a long time and we have received reports about the preparation, so we have great confidence in them and in having a unique experience,” explained the German.
Bach also referred to the current war situation in Ukraine and Gaza, expressing his hope that the Olympic Games will serve as a temporary truce and a message of unity and peace to the world.
Although the IOC does not have the power to intervene in political conflicts, Bach mentioned that he has maintained contact with world leaders to promote the ideal of an Olympic truce.
Regarding the controversy over the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes, Bach reiterated that their presence in the Games is prohibited as national delegations, due to the actions of the Russian Olympic Committee and the annexation of Ukrainian territory.
However, they will be allowed to compete individually under a neutral flag, following the IOC’s tradition of not punishing athletes for the actions of their governments.
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