Paris Olympics medal ceremony could be moved from riverside to stadium.that’s why

Paris:

French President Emmanuel Macron said for the first time on Monday that the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics could be moved from the Seine to the National Stadium if a security threat arises.
Macron said the ceremony could be “limited to the Trocadero” building on the other side of the Eiffel Tower, or “even moved to the Stade de France” rather than sailing down the Seine on a barge.

Paris organizers devised a ceremony unprecedented in Olympic history, breaking with the tradition of opening the Games in the main stadium.

But with the Games taking place amid war in Ukraine and Gaza, the ceremony also leaves teams potentially vulnerable to attack – French authorities, for example, have raised the possibility of drone strikes.

Organizers have so far denied that the July 26 ceremony might be moved to another location if authorities believe it is likely to be targeted.

“This opening ceremony… is a first in the world. We can do it and we will do it,” Macron said in an interview with BFMTV and RMC.

But, he added, “there are plans B and C”, including moving the ceremony to the Stade de France in northern Paris, the main stadium for the Olympics, where rugby sevens and athletics events will be held.

“We will analyze this in real time,” Macron added.

Moving the medal ceremony away from the Seine would be a monumental task and would deprive the Paris Games of its iconic image.

More than 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the ceremony, with a further 200,000 watching from buildings along the Seine.

So far, all countries have said they plan to take part in the open-air river parade, including the most risk-averse, including the United States and Israel.

Macron also said he would “do everything possible” to achieve an Olympic truce during the Games.

Armistice is a historical tradition of peace during the Olympic Games.

“We want to work towards an Olympic truce and I think this is an opportunity for me to engage with a lot of partners,” he said.

The Paralympics follow the Olympics and begin on August 28.

Macron has said he aims to get France into the top five in the Olympic medal table and in the top eight at the Paralympics.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)