Key events
Eye on the prize.
When the rapper Snoop Dogg was asked how he had prepared for his new role as a primetime Olympics correspondent for the US TV network NBC during the Paris Games, he responded with characteristic swagger. “My preparation for primetime is being me,” he said. “Google me. Look me up, dog.”
What would the Olympics be without the subtle undercurrent of doping?
One for the youth of today.
Our man in Paris is enjoying a lovely French summer.
Forecast for Paris looks grim for later, but for now this is my viewpoint for the Opening Ceremony. Techies still stapling carpets and brilliant cleaning staff drying drenched tables with 3 1/2 hours to go pic.twitter.com/YpCpDd2xHS
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) July 26, 2024
Did Team GB forget to put the flag on their sail?
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on those at conflict around the world to silence their guns as part of the Olympic truce, with the Paris 2024 Olympics set to open later on Friday.
Guterres met International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and said the Games were a chance for peace. “I want to express the total support of the United Nations to the IOC,” Guterres said. “We live in a divided world where conflicts are proliferating in a dramatic way. The horrendous suffering in Gaza, the seemingly endless war in Ukraine, terrible suffering from Sudan to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), from the Sahel to Myanmar. In a moment like this it is important to say that the first recorded, in history, real peace initiative was the Olympic truce.”
In ancient Greece all conflicts ceased for the duration of the Olympics. “In a moment in which the Olympic Games will start it is time to remind the world of the importance of the Olympic truce and to make the world understand that we must silence the guns,” he added.
Canada women’s football team drone scandal continues
Canadian Olympic Committee chief David Shoemaker says his organisation now believes suspended head coach Bev Priestman was “highly likely” to have been aware of two alleged incidents involving drones being used to spy on her side’s Olympic opposition.
Shoemaker also revealed there “appears to be information that could tarnish” Canada’s gold medal-winning turn at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Earlier on Friday, Canada Soccer announced Durham-born Priestman had been sent home from Paris after “additional information” came to their attention regarding previous drone use that took place prior to the Olympics, where it has been claimed an unaccredited analyst used one to snoop on Group A rivals New Zealand.
Addressing a press conference at Canada Olympic House, Shoemaker said: “One of the key pieces of information was the conclusion from Canada Soccer that she needed to be suspended based on their accumulation of facts. I’ve seen some of the information they have, and we gathered some additional information ourselves. That made me conclude that she was highly likely to have been aware of the incidents here in St Etienne.”
On Wednesday, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and Joseph Lombardi, an unaccredited analyst with Canada Soccer, were sent home.
Team GB’s men’s hockey team is looking to banish a few ghosts by ending a barren run at the Olympics since winning gold in 1988 in Seoul. Captain David Ames is the man leading the latest crop of players in Paris, hoping they can join their predecessors in the history books.
“Whilst we love having those guys around and hearing about 1988, we’d love to spend more time talking about 2024 for the next 40 or 50 years,” Ames said. “We don’t take it for granted that we know it all, which is why we asked Richard in. We’ve heard it 30 times before but it’s a bit of inspiration for us and a nice touch to spend time with someone who has been there and done it.”
Great Britain finished fifth last time around but the team is seemingly peaking at the right time heading to this summer’s Olympics.
“This is definitely the strongest culture I’ve experienced in the three Olympic cycles I’ve been involved in,” Ames said. “We used Tokyo as a bit of a springboard, changed the way we play to become a bit more dynamic, and we feel we’ve bridged the gap to the bigger teams. I wouldn’t have said we were one of those big teams three years ago, but I believe we are one now. There are probably six teams who are capable of winning that gold medal, and we are definitely one of them.”
Considering the nature of the Opening ceremony, the security operation going into is highly complicated and takes plenty of personnel. Looking through the images available to us, plenty involve the boys in blue. They seem to be on every street corner and landmark, not to mention the river.
Hannah Devlin has had a good old natter with Team GB psychologist Jess Thom, producing not one but two articles for your enjoyment. This includes advice on how to deal with the ‘post-Olympic comedown’ which could be useful for viewers, too.
“I live in France,” says Graham Whittington, “and am just leaving Paris on Eurostar to watch Bruce Springsteen at Wembley tomorrow. Traditional track until Lille so we will arrive in London an hour late. What has struck me at Gare du Nord is how calm everyone is, just seeing this as stuff that happens rather than usual indignation. Voilà.”
Enjoy The Boss.
Obviously, the disruption has caused a few problems for athletes as well as the many spectators. Team GB only have two athletes arriving today via Eurostar and they have been subjected to ‘minor delays’ so all is well there.
There is bad news for two German showjumpers who stuck in Belgium and will not make it in time for the opening ceremony.
Thanks Stuart. What an interesting afternoon of transport-related chat lies ahead going into this most momentous of occasions.
Tumaini Carayol will be following the tennis action for us in Paris.
Here he sets up some of the mouthwatering storylines that lie ahead, including Andy Murray’s final bow and a potential 60th meeting between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Nadal will also be joining Carlos Alcaraz – 17 years his junior – in the doubles.
That’s my lunchtime bridging stint here done – please welcome Will Unwin into the chair as the countdown continues. Enjoy!
More proof that Snoop (see 11.21 BST) isn’t the only dog on Olympic duty in Paris …
Two Team GB athletes had been due to arrive in Paris today, the British Olympic Association has confirmed. Although the majority of British athletes have been using Eurostar to travel to the Games, many athletes are now already in France.
The competitors travelling today were only subject to minor delays, the BOA added.
Simone Biles is keeping on pushing the gymnastics envelope …
The American has submitted an original skill on uneven bars ahead of the Paris Olympics that will be the American’s sixth move named after her – and her first on bars – if she can successfully complete it.
The new skill is a clear hip circle forward with 1.5 turns to handstand, a variation of an element named for the Canadian Wilhelm Weiler, which Biles has performed for much of her career, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said. FIG’s technical committee awarded it a difficulty value of E on a scale from A to J, meaning it is worth 0.5 in difficulty.
The four-time Olympic champion already has five elements named after her. Only Nellie Kim, the retired Soviet and Belarusian five-time Olympic gold medallist, has more skills named after her, with seven.
Biles is the fourth woman aiming to have a new element named after her at the Games, which for the women begin on Sunday with qualifications. Rebeca Andrade of Brazil will be attempting to perform a risky new vault in a bid to defend her gold medal from the Tokyo Games. Both Naomi Visser and Lieke Wevers of the Netherlands have submitted a triple-turn on floor exercise with the leg in the horizontal position to hopefully be completed in Paris. Reuters
Team GB has an official fan zone at Battersea Power Station. Today the ribbon was cut there by Christine Ohuruogu, whose ridiculous final-straight push propelled her from fourth to 400m gold at Beijing 2008. She followed it up with silver in London four years later.
Twelve years on, Christine’s younger sister, Victoria, will take part in the same event and the 4x400m relay in Paris.
Jon Henley
Digested week has landed, from Jon Henley in Paris …
There are two Parises this week. In one, life feels very normal (or at least, normal for Paris in late July): it’s quiet, but the shops and cafes are mostly open and in the evenings, the terraces fill with thirtysomethings drinking half-price cocktails.
That’s the case where I am, in the ninth arrondissement. The aoûtiens – people who don’t leave the city till August, duh – are all at work, the streets resound with the rumble of tourist suitcases, the talk is of politics, obviously, and holiday plans.
The other, much smaller Paris is a ghost town. Armed police everywhere, 45,000 steel barriers lining the pavements, streets eerily empty of traffic and in the ultra-restricted anti-terror zone along the Seine you need a QR code – even if you live there.
This has not gone down well. The extreme security for the waterborne Olympic opening ceremony may only be in place for a week, but for Parisians peeved at the best of times, that’s several days too long.
Prosecutors open formal investigation into railway attacks
Story update … today’s news on the railway disruption has now been updated by Jon Henley and Angelique Chrisafis.
Prosecutors have opened a formal investigation after saboteurs attacked France’s high-speed railway network in a series of “malicious acts” that brought chaos to the country’s busiest rail lines hours before the Olympics opening ceremony.
The state-owned railway operator, SNCF, said arsonists targeted installations along the high-speed TGV lines connecting Paris with the country’s west, north and east, and traffic would be severely disrupted across the country during the weekend.
“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse the TGV network,” the SNCF said, adding that many services would have to be cancelled and the situation would last “at least all weekend while repairs are conducted”.
The Paris public prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, said an investigation had been launched into “deliberate damage of property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation” and criminal association.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but French media cited anonymous intelligence sources as saying extreme-left or anarchist groups, who have attacked the rail network in the past, or radical environments activists could be potential suspects.
Ewan Murray
Without sounding “I’m alright Jack” … the trains south of Paris seem absolutely fine. I’m en route to Chateauroux for the rifle shooting and the journey has been perfectly smooth.
The Orleans to Chateauroux leg actually features the most opulent standard class carriage I have ever been in.
Yes, I’m alright Jack.
Experiencing anything different to our correspondent? Let us know …
High levels of E coli were present in Seine last Sunday
French authorities have revealed that the Seine was not suitable for swimming last Sunday. Data published today by Parisian and regional bodies showed that E coli and enterococci bacteria were above the acceptable threshold on Sunday, though they were below that level on the six other days in the reporting period of 17-23 July.
A huge clean-up operation has been taking place amid fears for participants in marathon swimming and triathlon legs, that will take place on the river. Last week Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, fulfilled a pledge to swim in the Seine to prove it could be made safe in time. However, it has been revealed today that five days later, such a swim might have been posed a health risk.
The water will be retested before the events due to be held on the river – contingency plans exist to relocate the marathon swimming to Vaires-sur-Marne, the venue for rowing and canoeing events, while the triathlon would be downgraded to a duathlon just consisting of cycling and running legs.
Ireland have announced their flag-bearers … golfer Shane Lowry, who won the 2019 Open, and 100m hurdler Sarah Lavin will have the honour at tonight’s ceremony.
“It’s a huge honour for me and my family,” Lowry said. “Anybody who knows me knows how patriotic I am, how much I love Ireland, and how much I love playing for my country. I always wear the Irish flag with pride and to get to do something like this is something I’ll remember forever.”
Lavin, who won bronze at the European Games last year, added: “It’s surreal to be honest, the greatest honour I’ve ever been given,” she said. “To carry the country’s flag, it’s just something you can’t prepare for. I’m so grateful for those who’ve trusted me and put me in this position.
“It’s emotional as well. There’s no point lying about that because, you know, there’s a lot of people you’re representing and be on the biggest sporting stage. I’m deeply touched and just so excited to get out there.”
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬 | Paris 2024
“It’s the greatest honour, I’ve ever been given.” 🥹💚
Sarah Lavin and Shane Lowry are our Team Ireland Flagbearers for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony ✨#TeamIreland | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/nisrUyyjRj
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 26, 2024
Bit of a break from the train mayhem. I can feel the collective heart rates of all rail commuters rising with every word we publish on it.
Here’s IOC president Thomas Bach getting in on the torch relay action …
And here’s an important image from yesterday … as members of various international police forces posed with their goodest, hardest-working boys and girls. French interior minister Gerald Darmanin had assembled the officers to acknowledge the part they’ll all play during the Games.
Keir Starmer’s office has weighed in on the travel chaos. The UK’s prime minister has asked sport fans to heed the travel advice being issued by authorities.
A spokesperson said: “Obviously the situation is concerning, and like the statements you’ve seen from the French, it is also incredibly frustrating for people travelling to attend the Games and the Olympic ceremony.
“The prime minister would urge people to continue to follow the travel advice and the statements from the travel operators.
“Irrespective of this disruption, it is very clear that both in France, here and around the world, everyone is hugely excited and looking forward to what will be an incredibly successful Olympic Games, and we won’t let disruption overshadow that.”
Quarter of Eurostar trains cancelled for opening days of Games
One in four Eurostar trains will be cancelled on Friday and over the weekend following “co-ordinated” vandalism which caused disruption ahead of the Olympics in France.
The rail operator, which runs international services from London St Pancras, confirmed 25% of its trains would no longer run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Several of its trains to Paris had been cancelled while others were diverted or subject to delays because of the ongoing issues over the Channel, with customers told to cancel their trips where possible.
“Eurostar expects this situation will last until Monday morning,” the operator said in a statement. PA Media
Have your Olympic travel plans been hit by today’s transport disruption in France?
Our community team would love to hear from you. Fill out the form here …
From the Guardian archive: how the ‘imposing’ opening ceremony to the 1924 Paris Olympics was covered …
Paris, Sunday
The repeated thud of the saluting guns had ceased and the strains of the Marseillaise had died away when a bugle call gave the signal for the march past of the world’s athletes. The elegant stadium at Colombes, not, of course, to be compared with our grandiose affair at Wembley, yet capable of holding sixty thousand spectators, was full to the brim for yesterday’s opening ceremony.
In the tribune of honour M Doumergue, president of the republic, had taken his seat, together with the Prince of Wales as representative of the British empire, Prince Henry, and other notables. Without delay the great defile began.
For variety, and yet perfection of form, for picturesqueness of dress and colour and bearing, it would be hard to find a parallel to this procession of athletes of forty-five nations. Each nation had been left to choose its own uniform, and the result was an extraordinary range of coloured blazers, badges, and headgears from straw hat to fez.
Read more here …
Quiz time! As you might expect, plenty of Olympics interest in our sports quiz of the week. Plus: important Hurstpierpoint FC content! Huzaifah Khan is this week’s quizmaster …
London Eurostar passengers asked to postpone journeys
Gwyn Topham
Eurostar passengers travelling from London to Paris on Friday were asked to postpone trips if possible, with trains delayed and cancelled after arson attacks took place on high-speed rail lines hours before the start of the Olympics.
Most services were leaving St Pancras International station on time but journeys were expected to be prolonged by at least an hour in France. Two afternoon departures have been cancelled.
The disruption, caused by what French authorities described as coordinated and malicious attacks on rail infrastructure between Paris and Lille, came hours before the Games’ opening ceremony, potentially stranding some passengers hoping to attend.
Eurostar said in a statement: “Due to coordinated acts of malice in France, affecting the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains going to and coming from Paris are being diverted via the classic line today Friday 26 July.
“This extends the journey time by around an hour-and-a-half. Several trains have been cancelled. Eurostar’s teams are fully mobilised in stations, in the call centres, and onboard to ensure that all passengers are informed and can reach their destination. We encourage our customers to postpone their trip if possible.”
Passengers would be able to cancel or get a refund or change their journey free of charge, Eurostar said.