What does the foreign press think of the closing ceremony and the organization of the Olympic Games?

Sunday’s evening did not arouse the same controversy as the opening show on the Seine.

This time, no controversy… But no excessive enthusiasm either. “It was creative, deeply symbolic and very French,” said politely Los Angeles Times concerning the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Sunday August 11, 2024. Most foreign media, however, followed minute by minute the three hours of ceremony, alternately described as “classic” And “a little dark”. Everyone was intrigued by the Golden Voyager, this glittering, golden character straight out of a science fiction script, but they were actually much more interested in the adventures of Tom Cruise, between abseiling from the roof of the Stade de France, racing on a motorbike, and parachuting to carry the flag to Hollywood.Lots of futurism but little emotion“This is the summary of the Spanish daily the Vanguard, which also evokes “an endless tribute to athletes and volunteers”… Conclusion: the job is done but “It won’t make an impression“.

Beyond this closing ceremony, which has provoked mixed reactions, it is difficult to find criticism of the Games as a whole. The whole world has indeed hailed an impeccable organisation, exceptional settings, a rare symbiosis between sport, history and culture. “It’s okay, Paris, we understand that you are to die for,” was ironic The Times last week. And what about the fervor of this public! Renowned for their snobbery, the French have learned to relax written The Wall Street Journal. This is the biggest surprise of these Games. In this moment of joy and unity we even realized that the French police could be nice, a surprised remark from the Swiss daily the timestunned to have seen police officers taking selfies with spectators and heard cheers for the Brav-M, the sulphurous motorized brigade, widely criticized, as we know, in the repression of demonstrations against pension reform. In a word, for The Countrythese Olympic Games are a delight, vying for the honorary title of the best Games in history. Among all the records of these last two weeks, many newspapers also note the historic number of marriage proposals among athletes.

Except that after the party, it will be back to the hangover for the French. This is what is emphasized the Washington POST which recalls that the excitement and enthusiasm generated by global sporting events tends to be “very intense… but very short”. Certainly for 15 days “politics has disappeared”Even the far right has largely stayed away from the debate over the offensiveness of a so-called “Last Supper” reference at the opening ceremony, but political divisions will return.

France arrived at the Games shaken by a legislative election that resulted in a political impasse, writes the New York Times. She leaves without having solved these problems. Beware of the backlash. Remember the victory in the Football World Cup in 2018. A few months later, the euphoria gave way to the “yellow vest” movement. This year again the truce risks being short-lived.