President Emmanuel Macron declared on Monday that France is fully prepared to host the Paris Olympics, following his visit to the Athletes’ Village just days before the Games are set to begin.
“We are ready and we will be ready throughout the Games,” Macron said.
He continued, “We have been working on these Games for years now and we are at the start of a decisive week which on Friday will see the opening ceremony and then the Olympiad which will be held in Paris, 100 years since the last one.”
Macron emphasized that the event represents “the fruit of an immense amount of work which has profoundly changed the country, in particular the area” of Seine-Saint-Denis, where the Athletes’ Village is located.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach also visited the Village, situated north of Paris, where thousands of athletes and officials are arriving.
The peak number of attendees is expected to be up to 14,500.
The Athletes’ Village, made up of 40 low-rise housing blocks, was constructed using innovative methods such as low-carbon concrete, water recycling, and reclaimed materials.
Although the Village was designed to be air-conditioning-free with a natural cooling system, some Olympic delegations have opted to bring around 2,500 portable cooling units.
Seine-Saint-Denis, home to the main athletics stadium, is the most economically disadvantaged region in France. Macron assured that the area would not be overlooked after the Olympics.
“I will come back after the Games to see the legacy with you and to see how life has changed,” he said.
In other news, France’s foreign minister confirmed that Israeli athletes are welcome at the Paris Games.
This statement came after a far-left member of the French parliament, Thomas Portes, suggested that Israeli athletes should stay away due to the Gaza conflict.
Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne labeled Portes’ remarks as “irresponsible and dangerous.”
“We will ensure the security of the delegation,” Sejourne assured.
Portes’ comments received backlash from French Jewish organizations and various political figures.
Yonathan Arfi, head of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (Crif), criticized the remarks as endangering Israeli athletes, referencing the 1972 Munich Games where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists.
As preparations for the unprecedented opening ceremony continue, French security forces are readying for the event, which will see between 6,000 and 7,000 athletes sailing down the river on 85 barges and boats.
The ceremony will feature iconic Paris landmarks, including the Notre-Dame cathedral, currently under renovation.
The athletes will disembark at the Trocadero, with the Eiffel Tower in view, for a ceremony that organizers promise will be extraordinary.
Up to 300,000 ticketed spectators are expected to watch from stands and riverbanks, with another 200,000 viewing from surrounding apartments.
On the sports front, Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar, who recently won the Tour de France for the third time, is aiming for Olympic gold in the road race.
“We are living in the golden age of cycling,” Pogacar remarked after his impressive win in Nice, where the finish was relocated due to the Olympic preparations in Paris.
Mysterious Discovery In Kware Unveils Alleged Occult Practices And Body Part Harvesting Suspicions
