BEIJING: After two Games clouded by COVID-19 restrictions, Paris 2024 are looking to launch a new momentum for the sporting extravaganza, promising an Olympic “light at the end of the tunnel.”
One hundred years after France last hosted the Summer Olympics amid the post-World War One Années Folles (crazy years) period, Paris aims to be the stage for carefree Games as they return to Europe for the first time in a decade.
“We want to take the Games out of the stadiums, with a ceremony out in the city and a marathon open to the general public,” Tony Estanguet, a triple canoeing Olympic champion who was France’s flag-bearer at the 2008 Beijing Games opening ceremony, told Reuters.
Some 600,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony with around 160 boats setting off on the Seine on July 26 from the Pont d’Austerlitz for a six-kilometer journey to the Pont d’Iena.
While the lower part of the river bank will be subject to ticketing, there will be free access to the upper part with spectators able to see holograms on the water, dancers on the roofs of nearby buildings and aerial shows.
“We are very ambitious, we want to break new ground and offer a popular and spectacular Games,” said Estanguet of the Paris Olympics.
“With Milan-Cortina two years later, this is an opportunity for us to start a new cycle in Europe.”
The Winter Games were last staged in Europe in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, after London hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics.
EIFFEL TOWER
At Beijing 2022, crowds have been extremely limited as authorities sought to keep COVID-19 out of the country by segregating athletes and Games’ workers from the general public with a strict “closed loop” system.
Just 97,000 people attended events at the Beijing Games, while Pyeongchang in 2018 attracted more than a million spectators, organizers said at the time.
The Tokyo Olympics also took place under similar restrictions. Beijing close with a ceremony on Sunday.
In Paris, the whole city will embrace the Games, with some events staged at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
The Place de la Concorde will be the stage of new events — breaking and skateboarding — while the Chateau de Versailles will host equestrian competitions, and the Grand Palais will welcome taekwondo and fencing.
Three of those four venues are all within walking distance of each other.
“We want these Games to be popular, close to the people,” said Estanguet.
“For a lot of people, the Paris Olympics are the light at the end of the tunnel, there are a lot of expectations in these Olympics.
“The Games will change everything that has been done before, we’re going to experience something unprecedented.”
With great expectations come great responsibilities.
“We like that kind of pressure, we like to question ourselves. We’re going to do everything so that these Olympics make history,” Estanguet said.
“The Games changed my life, I hope these Games can change other lives and that France will magnify the Olympics.”
Olympics-Paris 2024 to be ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ says next Games chief
https://arab.news/8s8vb
Olympics-Paris 2024 to be ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ says next Games chief
- Paris aims to be the stage for carefree Games as they return to Europe for the first time in a decade
- Some 600,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony with around 160 boats setting off on the Seine
Al-Ittihad slump to fourth defeat of season in home loss to Al-Ettifaq
- Visitors’ Khalid Al-Ghannam scores only goal of the game as the reigning Saudi Pro League champs drop more points after drawing with Damac on Tuesday
- Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak ends with 1-1 draw against Al-Najma, and Al-Khaleej enjoy comfortable 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood
RIYADH: Al-Ittihad’s disappointing defense of their Saudi Pro League title continued on Friday with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Al-Ettifaq.
Khalid Al-Ghannam scored the decisive goal for the visitors as the hosts dropped more points after their draw with Damac on Tuesday.
In the absence of Fabinho, who was suspended after being sent off late in Tuesday’s match, Mahamadou Doumbia partnered with N’golo Kante in midfield for Al-Ittihad. The Malian showed his composure early on when he shielded the ball under pressure before unleashing a long-range shot in the 10th minute, but it was comfortably saved by Marek Rodak.
The deployment of Al-Ghannam proved pivotal, as he repeatedly tested the hosts. In the 23rd minute he burst down the left flank, beating three defenders with some clever dribbling before testing Predrag Rajkovic in goal, who parried the effort.
Al-Ghannam bothered the defense again just minutes later, threatening the Serbian goalkeeper with another attempt from a similar position. However, the game remained goalless at halftime.
The second half began with Al-Ittihad on the front foot. Within minutes, Roger Fernandes found himself in front of goal and put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Al-Ghannam’s effort and influence eventually paid off for the visitors in the 54th minute. Operating as a left-sided striker during an Al-Ettifaq counterattack, he cut inside to curl a powerful shot into the far corner.
Al-Ittihad’s attacking approach varied as they fought to get back into the game, with Fernandes patrolling the left flank, Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti cutting inside near the byline, and central contributions from the combination of Doumbia and Steven Bergwijn. But the Al-Ettifaq defense remained resolute.
Danilo Pereira, pushing up into an advanced midfield position as Al-Ittihad forced Al-Ettifaq to defend deep, unleashed a long shot in the 67th minute, urged on by the home fans, but his effort went wide.
With time running out, Sergio Conceicao made four substitutions in the space of seven minutes, bringing on Ahmed Al-Julaydan at right-back for his crossing abilities, Abdulaziz Al-Bishi and Ahmed Al-Ghamdi to play between the lines, and Saleh Al-Shehri for added impetus up front.
Despite several chances, Al-Ittihad were unable to grab the equalizer, and in the 85th minute things got even worse for them. Keeper Rajkovic tripped on his way to confront a Mohau Nkota counterattack and stuck out his hand at the edge of the box to push the ball away. A review by the video assistant referee ruled he had handled the ball outside the box and he was shown the red card.
After seven minutes of added time, and one final attempt by Doumbia to salvage something for the hosts through a free-kick, the referee blew the final whistle.
It was the fourth defeat of the season for Al-Ittihad and means they remain in sixth place in the table, three behind Al-Qadsiah who have a game in hand. Al-Ettifaq are seventh, just two points behind the defending champions.
Earlier, Al-Fateh’s five-game winning streak came to an end when they returned from a trip to Qassim to face Al-Najma with only a point. The visitors took the lead in the 12th minute but a goal for the home side by Ali Jasim in the 75th denied them all three points as the game ended 1-1.
In the Eastern Province, Greek duo Giorgos Masouras and Kostas Fortounis proved the main inspirations for Al-Khaleej in a 4-1 victory over Al-Okhdood that temporarily lifted them into seventh place in the table, until Al-Ettifaq reclaimed the spot.
On Saturday, Al-Fayha face Damac, Al-Kholood take on fourth-place Al-Ahli, and second-place Al-Nassr are in action against Al-Shabab.
