Paris Olympics organizers marked the two-year milestone until the 2024 Games by unveiling the official slogan — “Let’s open the Games wide” — and said they had once again secured the backing of French President Emmanuel Macron, with a view to of their giant opening ceremony planned along the Seine.
Macron spoke in Paris with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and brought together ministers and security officials to review Olympic planning, signaling an acceleration of efforts to prepare the French capital for the July 26 Games to August 11, 2024.
Amid questions about the costs and security of the opening ceremony, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet clarified that Macron, his interior minister and the Paris police chief reaffirmed “their full support organization of this ceremony on the Seine”.
Breaking with the Olympic tradition, the ceremony will not be held inside a stadium, but will take place on the river which crosses the French capital.
Boats will transport the 10,500 athletes on the waterway from east to west, passing city landmarks, some of which will be used as Games venues. Organizers anticipate at least 600,000 spectators, most of them ticketless and watching for free, and bill it as the biggest opening ceremony in Olympic history.
“We will not take any risks with the safety of the athletes or the safety of the spectators, promised Estanguet. There is no major obstacle to the organization of this ceremony. »
Ticket details
Organizers also released details of the 10 million tickets. Prices for all sports will start at 24 euros (CA$31.50), and nearly half of the tickets on sale to the public will cost 50 euros (CA$65) or less. Some locations for the Opening Ceremony, those closest to the river, will require tickets, but the majority of spectators will not have to pay. All Games tickets will be digital only, to combat fraud.
Organizers said their slogan reflects their desire to make games accessible and use them to open minds as well, with a focus on LGBTQ rights, gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities.
“Since the beginning of this project, we have changed the way of organizing the Games. […] We want to open up the magic of the Olympic Games to all audiences, and also to the challenges of our society. […] The slogan will be “great the Games”, because that’s what has driven us from the start”, mentioned Estanguet.
Details were also provided on the competition schedule. Breakdancing will make its debut as an Olympic sport on August 9, 2024, with women competing first in Place de la Concorde. The men will meet there the next day.