Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is all geared up for the upcoming challenges in 2024 as he waved goodbye to yet another successful year. The target in 2024 now remains to win the Olympic gold and retain his crown as he prepares for the big year. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Neeraj opened up on the latest challenge as he targets another big year having won gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

<h2>Retaining Olympic gold remains target</h2>

“I am preparing in full flow for the upcoming year as we have different events before we head to Paris for the Olympics. To retain Olympic gold will be the biggest aim in Paris as the nation has been behind. There are plenty of challenges for the upcoming year, however, focusing on the big event will be the primary target. I am aware of the challenges but I vow to give my best shot at the Olympics,” Neeraj said while speaking exclusively to WION’s Aditya Pimpale.

Neeraj had a successful 2023 as he won the gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest while winning silver in the Diamond League. However, his biggest achievement came at the Asian Games when he retained his gold at the continental event.

When asked about his biggest challenge, he was quick to mention his close compatriots. He is likely to face tough competition at the Olympics from Arshad Nadeem, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-2023-fireworks-masks-and-cake-cab-planning-to-celebrate-virat-kohlis-bday-with-a-grand-show-653477">World Cup 2023: Fireworks, masks and cake - CAB planning to celebrate Virat Kohli's b'day with a grand show</a>

<h2>Nearest challengers for Neeraj</h2>

“Defending the Olympic crown will be a very big challenge, I am aware of Arshad Nadeem, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters who will give me a tough fight. Yes, the 90-metre target remains a benchmark for me and I will do my best to reach it before the Olympics. But for the position I am in at the moment, I think I can do it with a little more effort."

“It is great to see some of the young guns competing at the National Games in Goa, where the young crops are thriving. The coming years will be crucial for Indian athletics and I can only see more and more success coming our way in the future,” Neeraj said on the upcoming young guns in Athletics.

Neeraj also spoke on his nutrition and how he has balanced his diet during the season and the off-season. He was full of praise for Optimum Nutrition and CEO Satyavrat Pendharkar while opening up on his nutrition balance.

&nbsp;

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Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is all geared up for the upcoming challenges in 2024 as he waved goodbye to yet another successful year. The target in 2024 now remains to win the Olympic gold and retain his crown as he prepares for the big year.

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is all geared up for the upcoming challenges in 2024 as he waved goodbye to yet another successful year. The target in 2024 now remains to win the Olympic gold and retain his crown as he prepares for the big year. In an exclusive conversation with WION, Neeraj opened up on the latest challenge as he targets another big year having won gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Retaining Olympic gold remains target “I am preparing in full flow for the upcoming year as we have different events before we head to Paris for the Olympics. To retain Olympic gold will be the biggest aim in Paris as the nation has been behind. There are plenty of challenges for the upcoming year, however, focusing on the big event will be the primary target. I am aware of the challenges but I vow to give my best shot at the Olympics,” Neeraj said while speaking exclusively to WION’s Aditya Pimpale. Neeraj had a successful 2023 as he won the gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest while winning silver in the Diamond League. However, his biggest achievement came at the Asian Games when he retained his gold at the continental event. When asked about his biggest challenge, he was quick to mention his close compatriots. He is likely to face tough competition at the Olympics from Arshad Nadeem, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters. ALSO READ | World Cup 2023: Fireworks, masks and cake - CAB planning to celebrate Virat Kohli's b'day with a grand show Nearest challengers for Neeraj “Defending the Olympic crown will be a very big challenge, I am aware of Arshad Nadeem, Julian Weber, and Anderson Peters who will give me a tough fight. Yes, the 90-metre target remains a benchmark for me and I will do my best to reach it before the Olympics. But for the position I am in at the moment, I think I can do it with a little more effort." “It is great to see some of the young guns competing at the National Games in Goa, where the young crops are thriving. The coming years will be crucial for Indian athletics and I can only see more and more success coming our way in the future,” Neeraj said on the upcoming young guns in Athletics. Neeraj also spoke on his nutrition and how he has balanced his diet during the season and the off-season. He was full of praise for Optimum Nutrition and CEO Satyavrat Pendharkar while opening up on his nutrition balance. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

EXCLUSIVE | To retain Olympics gold will be biggest aim in Paris - Neeraj Chopra ahead of big 2024 challenge

French investigators have raided the offices of the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers and event management firms involved in the opening ceremony, sources close to the probe told AFP on Thursday.

The sources said the raids took place on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged favouritism in the awarding of contracts linked to the Olympics.

The searches are part of investigations into contracts awarded for the Games that are being led by the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF).

"Paris 2024 confirms that the PNF attended its headquarters on Wednesday, October 18 and obtained all of the information that it asked for. Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigation as it has always done," the organising committee said in a statement.

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The searches on Wednesday focused on an event management company called Paname 24, which has a leading role in organising the opening ceremony on the Seine on July 26, an event that takes the event outside of a stadium setting for the first time at a Summer Olympics.

It is also scheduled to organise the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on August 28.

The first raids took place in June, targeting the organising committee's headquarters and the offices of Solideo, the company responsible for the construction of Olympic sites.

Investigators then also raided the homes of two of its high-ranking officials, Etienne Thobois, the Chief Executive Officer of Paris 2024, and Edouard Donnelly, the executive director of operations, and the offices of a consulting firm the two men founded.

A source close to the investigation said it concerned around 20 contracts.

The Paris Olympics take place from July 26 to August 11.

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French investigators have raided the offices of the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers and event management firms involved in the opening ceremony, sources close to the probe told AFP on Thursday.

French investigators have raided the offices of the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers and event management firms involved in the opening ceremony, sources close to the probe told AFP on Thursday. The sources said the raids took place on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged favouritism in the awarding of contracts linked to the Olympics. The searches are part of investigations into contracts awarded for the Games that are being led by the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF). "Paris 2024 confirms that the PNF attended its headquarters on Wednesday, October 18 and obtained all of the information that it asked for. Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigation as it has always done," the organising committee said in a statement. ALSO READ: I thought I was done, gone: Ben Stokes on hearing hip ‘pop’ during gym session ahead of World Cup 2023 The searches on Wednesday focused on an event management company called Paname 24, which has a leading role in organising the opening ceremony on the Seine on July 26, an event that takes the event outside of a stadium setting for the first time at a Summer Olympics. It is also scheduled to organise the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on August 28. The first raids took place in June, targeting the organising committee's headquarters and the offices of Solideo, the company responsible for the construction of Olympic sites. Investigators then also raided the homes of two of its high-ranking officials, Etienne Thobois, the Chief Executive Officer of Paris 2024, and Edouard Donnelly, the executive director of operations, and the offices of a consulting firm the two men founded. A source close to the investigation said it concerned around 20 contracts. The Paris Olympics take place from July 26 to August 11. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Olympics: Paris Games organisers and event management firms raided - Sources

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics. Biles also won all-around and team gold with the United States in Antwerp where she won her first world titles a decade ago.

The 26-year-old leaves the Flemish port city with five medals -- four gold and a silver -- to bring her tally to 30 medals at world championships.

"I feel like I've no words really," said Biles of her week in Antwerp. "I was just excited, out here competing, having that pressure again. The crowd, the energy, being out there.

"The whole entire experience that we've had at this world championships, I think we learned a lot from it, moving forward."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iga-swiatek-beats-unseeded-liudmila-samsonova-6-2-6-2-to-win-china-open-2023-644293">Iga Swiatek beats unseeded Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets to win China Open 2023</a>

In a high-level beam final, Biles landed every skill with near perfection, with the title decided by a tiny margin, as Zhou Yaqin also impressed.

Gold only escaped the Chinese teenager because she took a step back after her dismount and was penalised a tenth of a point.

Biles scored 14.800, with 17-year-old Zhou just 0.100 behind. Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who had beaten Biles the day before in the vault final, took bronze.

Barely an hour and a half later, the four-time Olympic champion was back on the competition stage for the floor final.

Despite going out of the area, the American wowed with her jumps, winning with a score of 14.633.

Andrade, whose duel with Biles lit up the competition, once again delivered a charismatic performance at the Sportpaleis to take silver (14.500), ahead of her compatriot Flavia Saraiva (13.966).

Andrade, the revelation of the Tokyo Olympics, also won five medals, including one gold, in Antwerp.

"We had Rebeca on every single podium," said Biles. "So, I feel like we give each other the best push that we can to bring out the best."

<h2>- 'Live in the now' –</h2>

Biles had to settle for silver on the vault due to a fall on the landing on Saturday, and her worst finish was a fifth place on the uneven bars, her least favourite apparatus.

But her return has been impressive two years after the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose the sense of where they are in the air, badly affected her Tokyo Olympics.

She withdrew from four of five individual finals in Japan, taking team silver despite withdrawing midway through the competition and beam bronze.

Biles then stopped training completely and only returned to competition last August in the United States, in a bid to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I was a little bit worried, but I know that I've been trained properly and that whatever happens happens, so I wasn't too worried about medal count or medal colour," she said. &nbsp;"I can't answer any questions for the future, I'm just going to live in the now."

In Sunday's other finals, German Lukas Dauser, Olympic and 2022 world silver medallist, won his first world title on parallel bars.

Britain's Jake Jarman dominated the vault final and the high bar title went to Daiki Hashimoto, all-around king earlier in the week and team gold medallist with Japan.

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Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics.

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles capped her impressive comeback after a two-year break with gold medals on the floor and balance beam on Sunday taking her to 23 world titles, less than 10 months before the Paris Olympics. Biles also won all-around and team gold with the United States in Antwerp where she won her first world titles a decade ago. The 26-year-old leaves the Flemish port city with five medals -- four gold and a silver -- to bring her tally to 30 medals at world championships. "I feel like I've no words really," said Biles of her week in Antwerp. "I was just excited, out here competing, having that pressure again. The crowd, the energy, being out there. "The whole entire experience that we've had at this world championships, I think we learned a lot from it, moving forward." ALSO READ: Iga Swiatek beats unseeded Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets to win China Open 2023 In a high-level beam final, Biles landed every skill with near perfection, with the title decided by a tiny margin, as Zhou Yaqin also impressed. Gold only escaped the Chinese teenager because she took a step back after her dismount and was penalised a tenth of a point. Biles scored 14.800, with 17-year-old Zhou just 0.100 behind. Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who had beaten Biles the day before in the vault final, took bronze. Barely an hour and a half later, the four-time Olympic champion was back on the competition stage for the floor final. Despite going out of the area, the American wowed with her jumps, winning with a score of 14.633. Andrade, whose duel with Biles lit up the competition, once again delivered a charismatic performance at the Sportpaleis to take silver (14.500), ahead of her compatriot Flavia Saraiva (13.966). Andrade, the revelation of the Tokyo Olympics, also won five medals, including one gold, in Antwerp. "We had Rebeca on every single podium," said Biles. "So, I feel like we give each other the best push that we can to bring out the best." - 'Live in the now' – Biles had to settle for silver on the vault due to a fall on the landing on Saturday, and her worst finish was a fifth place on the uneven bars, her least favourite apparatus. But her return has been impressive two years after the "twisties", a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose the sense of where they are in the air, badly affected her Tokyo Olympics. She withdrew from four of five individual finals in Japan, taking team silver despite withdrawing midway through the competition and beam bronze. Biles then stopped training completely and only returned to competition last August in the United States, in a bid to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I was a little bit worried, but I know that I've been trained properly and that whatever happens happens, so I wasn't too worried about medal count or medal colour," she said. "I can't answer any questions for the future, I'm just going to live in the now." In Sunday's other finals, German Lukas Dauser, Olympic and 2022 world silver medallist, won his first world title on parallel bars. Britain's Jake Jarman dominated the vault final and the high bar title went to Daiki Hashimoto, all-around king earlier in the week and team gold medallist with Japan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Championships 2023: Flurry of golds highlight Simone Biles’ impressive comeback as Paris Olympics loom

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Wednesday that "the Russian flag cannot be at the Paris Olympic Games... at a time when Russia is committing war crimes". 
 
Quizzed on the possible presence of Russian athletes in Paris competing as neutrals, Macron added: "I hope that this is a decision of conscience in the Olympic world. It is not the host state which must decide what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should do."

He added to sports daily L'Equipe: "I have total confidence in Thomas Bach (the IOC president)".

Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a multitude of sports since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-champion-naomi-osaka-to-return-for-2024-australian-open-633163">Former champion Naomi Osaka to return for 2024 Australian Open</a>

Despite the ongoing war, the IOC has recommended allowing athletes from Russia and Moscow ally Belarus to compete as individual neutrals in international competitions. 
Those allowed to reintegrate into world sport must satisfy certain conditions.

These include competing under a neutral flag and proving that they have not actively supported the war in Ukraine.

"Obviously, there cannot be the Russian flag at the Paris Games, I think there is consensus," Macron added in his interview with L'Equipe. "There is no place for Russia as a country at a time when it has committed war crimes, when it has deported children."

"The real question that the Olympic world will have to decide is what place to give to these Russian athletes who sometimes have prepared for a lifetime, and can also be the victims of this regime."

However, Macron pondered how to differentiate between those Russian athletes who are accomplices and those who are victims of the regime.

"This is the real question," he added.

The IOC must, he said, make a decision that is fair and understood by Ukrainians. 
 
"This is the balancing act that we will have to carry out." 
 
&nbsp;

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French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Wednesday that "the Russian flag cannot be at the Paris Olympic Games... at a time when Russia is committing war crimes".

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Wednesday that "the Russian flag cannot be at the Paris Olympic Games... at a time when Russia is committing war crimes". Quizzed on the possible presence of Russian athletes in Paris competing as neutrals, Macron added: "I hope that this is a decision of conscience in the Olympic world. It is not the host state which must decide what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should do." He added to sports daily L'Equipe: "I have total confidence in Thomas Bach (the IOC president)". Athletes from Russia and Belarus have faced sanctions from a multitude of sports since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022. ALSO READ: Former champion Naomi Osaka to return for 2024 Australian Open Despite the ongoing war, the IOC has recommended allowing athletes from Russia and Moscow ally Belarus to compete as individual neutrals in international competitions. Those allowed to reintegrate into world sport must satisfy certain conditions. These include competing under a neutral flag and proving that they have not actively supported the war in Ukraine. "Obviously, there cannot be the Russian flag at the Paris Games, I think there is consensus," Macron added in his interview with L'Equipe. "There is no place for Russia as a country at a time when it has committed war crimes, when it has deported children." "The real question that the Olympic world will have to decide is what place to give to these Russian athletes who sometimes have prepared for a lifetime, and can also be the victims of this regime." However, Macron pondered how to differentiate between those Russian athletes who are accomplices and those who are victims of the regime. "This is the real question," he added. The IOC must, he said, make a decision that is fair and understood by Ukrainians. "This is the balancing act that we will have to carry out." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russian flag cannot be at Paris Olympic Games, insists Emmanuel Macron

Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, India’s Neeraj Chopra qualifies for finals of the ongoing World Athletic Championship in Budapest, Hungary, with a massive 88.77-metre throw – best of the lot and season. With this throw, Neeraj, who reigned supreme at the Tokyo Olympics two years back, has sealed his ticket for the 2024 Paris Summer Games.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Showing how it's done ‼️ 
 
🇮🇳's <a href="https://twitter.com/Neeraj_chopra1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Neeraj_chopra1</a> launches an absolute missile in the first round of the men's javelin throw. 
 
88.77m and a big Q to the final 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldAthleticsChamps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldAthleticsChamps</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zfz2MFU10P">pic.twitter.com/Zfz2MFU10P</a>
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldAthletics/status/1694993211339543021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Neeraj attained this mark in his first attempt, as none of the remaining participants in Group A crossed the 83.0 mark, while fellow Indian DP Manu achieved&nbsp;81.31m (in his second attempt) and stood third. Germany’s Julian Weber finished second with his best throw of 82.39m.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/post-pictures-not-confidential-information-bcci-schools-players-after-kohli-reveals-yo-yo-score-on-instagram-629042">Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram</a>

Manu’s qualification for the finals is still not ensured as it will depend on the results from Group B, where Kishore Jena is taking part.

Meanwhile, a total of 37 javelin throwers are divided into two groups – A and B, with each eyeing to finish for a place in the 12-man final, scheduled to take place on Sunday. The automatic qualifying mark is 83.00m.

<h3>Here’s the list result of participants from Group A –</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Neeraj Chopra - 88.77m (Q) - SB</li>
	<li>Julian Weber (GER) - 82.39</li>
	<li>DP Manu (IND) - 81.31</li>
	<li>Dawid Wegner (POL) - 81.25</li>
	<li>Toni Kuusela (FIN) - 79.27m</li>
	<li>Roderick Dean (JPN) - 78.57</li>
	<li>Anderson Peters (GRN) - 78.49</li>
	<li>Julius Yego (KEN) - 78.42</li>
	<li>Patriks Gailums (LAT) - 77.43</li>
	<li>Kenji Ogura (JPN) - 76.65</li>
	<li>Capers Williamson (USA) - 76.10</li>
	<li>Douw Smit (RSA) - 75.03</li>
	<li>Felise Sosaia (FRA) - 74.80</li>
	<li>Curtis Thompson (USA) - 74.21</li>
	<li>Leandro Ramos (POR) - 74.03</li>
	<li>Gatis Cakss (LAT) - 73.42</li>
	<li>Pedro Rodrigues (BRA) - 72.34</li>
</ul>

<h2>Neeraj eyes to break 90m barrier</h2>

Following winning India’s maiden gold medal in Athletics at the Summer Games in the previous edition in Tokyo with an 87.58m throw, India’s newest star headlined the Diamond League last year in Stockholm with his career-best throw of 89.94, coming close to reaching the 90m-mark.

A man on a mission, Neeraj eyes to break that barrier to remain in contention for the gold medal in Paris next year.&nbsp;

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Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, India’s Neeraj Chopra qualifies for finals of the ongoing World Athletic Championship in Budapest, Hungary, with a massive 88.

Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, India’s Neeraj Chopra qualifies for finals of the ongoing World Athletic Championship in Budapest, Hungary, with a massive 88.77-metre throw – best of the lot and season. With this throw, Neeraj, who reigned supreme at the Tokyo Olympics two years back, has sealed his ticket for the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Showing how it's done ‼️ 🇮🇳's @Neeraj_chopra1 launches an absolute missile in the first round of the men's javelin throw. 88.77m and a big Q to the final 🙌#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/Zfz2MFU10P — World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 25, 2023 × Neeraj attained this mark in his first attempt, as none of the remaining participants in Group A crossed the 83.0 mark, while fellow Indian DP Manu achieved 81.31m (in his second attempt) and stood third. Germany’s Julian Weber finished second with his best throw of 82.39m. ALSO READ: Post pictures, not confidential information: BCCI schools players after Kohli reveals Yo-Yo score on Instagram Manu’s qualification for the finals is still not ensured as it will depend on the results from Group B, where Kishore Jena is taking part. Meanwhile, a total of 37 javelin throwers are divided into two groups – A and B, with each eyeing to finish for a place in the 12-man final, scheduled to take place on Sunday. The automatic qualifying mark is 83.00m. Here’s the list result of participants from Group A – Neeraj Chopra - 88.77m (Q) - SB Julian Weber (GER) - 82.39 DP Manu (IND) - 81.31 Dawid Wegner (POL) - 81.25 Toni Kuusela (FIN) - 79.27m Roderick Dean (JPN) - 78.57 Anderson Peters (GRN) - 78.49 Julius Yego (KEN) - 78.42 Patriks Gailums (LAT) - 77.43 Kenji Ogura (JPN) - 76.65 Capers Williamson (USA) - 76.10 Douw Smit (RSA) - 75.03 Felise Sosaia (FRA) - 74.80 Curtis Thompson (USA) - 74.21 Leandro Ramos (POR) - 74.03 Gatis Cakss (LAT) - 73.42 Pedro Rodrigues (BRA) - 72.34 Neeraj eyes to break 90m barrier Following winning India’s maiden gold medal in Athletics at the Summer Games in the previous edition in Tokyo with an 87.58m throw, India’s newest star headlined the Diamond League last year in Stockholm with his career-best throw of 89.94, coming close to reaching the 90m-mark. A man on a mission, Neeraj eyes to break that barrier to remain in contention for the gold medal in Paris next year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

World Athletics Championship: Neeraj Chopra qualifies for finals with 88.77m throw, seals Paris Games berth

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has declared on Telegram that his nation will boycott the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to be held in France’s Paris if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate.

He also claimed that during the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, the invading forces have killed at least 340 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, along with destroying 343 sports facilities.

“Ukraine is determined. A powerful international coalition for fair sport, including 35 states, has been formed,” he claimed.

“We are ready to boycott the Olympic Games in Paris together if the Russian Federation and Belarus are allowed to participate in the competition. We expect the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make the right decision and resolutely suspend the aggressor from the Olympics," his statement added.

<h2>Another U-turn from Ukraine?</h2>

In a dramatic reversal of policy, the Ukrainian government last month announced that its athletes could participate in sports events where Russian and Belarusian athletes are participating as neutral athletes.

Watch:&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: Russia equipping submarines with hypersonic missiles

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However, it seems that Ukraine has now shifted back to its old policy of barring its athletes from participating in those events where Russians and Belarusians were also competing.

<h2>What is International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) position?</h2>

Ever since Russia initiated its conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC has imposed sports-related penalties on Moscow and its ally Minsk.&nbsp;

However, earlier this year, a recommendation was issued that said Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate as individuals under a neutral flag and without an anthem in qualifying events.

This decision sparked strong objections from the Ukrainian government and their athletes, who criticised the IOC for allegedly prioritising the human rights of Russian athletes over their own.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-claims-ukraines-military-resources-are-almost-exhausted-625693">Also read:&nbsp;Russia claims Ukraine`s military resources are `almost exhausted`</a>

As of now, the IOC has not reached a decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutral participants in the upcoming Paris Games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

<h2>Ukraine hopes Russian athletes to withdraw from the games</h2>

Ukraine's Sports Minister, Vadym Gutzeit, said in an interview with AFP that he doesn't rule out the possibility of Russians voluntarily abstaining from attending the Paris Olympics next year.&nbsp;

In the interview, Gutzeit mentioned that if the IOC allows Russians and Belarusians to compete neutrally in Paris, and Ukraine decides to boycott the Games, other nations with a history of suffering from Russian imperialism might also join the boycott.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has declared on Telegram that his nation will boycott the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to be held in France’s Paris if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has declared on Telegram that his nation will boycott the 2024 Olympic Games scheduled to be held in France’s Paris if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to participate. He also claimed that during the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, the invading forces have killed at least 340 Ukrainian athletes and coaches, along with destroying 343 sports facilities. “Ukraine is determined. A powerful international coalition for fair sport, including 35 states, has been formed,” he claimed. “We are ready to boycott the Olympic Games in Paris together if the Russian Federation and Belarus are allowed to participate in the competition. We expect the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to make the right decision and resolutely suspend the aggressor from the Olympics," his statement added. Another U-turn from Ukraine? In a dramatic reversal of policy, the Ukrainian government last month announced that its athletes could participate in sports events where Russian and Belarusian athletes are participating as neutral athletes. Watch: Russia-Ukraine War: Russia equipping submarines with hypersonic missiles × However, it seems that Ukraine has now shifted back to its old policy of barring its athletes from participating in those events where Russians and Belarusians were also competing. What is International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) position? Ever since Russia initiated its conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the IOC has imposed sports-related penalties on Moscow and its ally Minsk. However, earlier this year, a recommendation was issued that said Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate as individuals under a neutral flag and without an anthem in qualifying events. This decision sparked strong objections from the Ukrainian government and their athletes, who criticised the IOC for allegedly prioritising the human rights of Russian athletes over their own. Also read: Russia claims Ukraine`s military resources are `almost exhausted` As of now, the IOC has not reached a decision on whether Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutral participants in the upcoming Paris Games, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Ukraine hopes Russian athletes to withdraw from the games Ukraine's Sports Minister, Vadym Gutzeit, said in an interview with AFP that he doesn't rule out the possibility of Russians voluntarily abstaining from attending the Paris Olympics next year. In the interview, Gutzeit mentioned that if the IOC allows Russians and Belarusians to compete neutrally in Paris, and Ukraine decides to boycott the Games, other nations with a history of suffering from Russian imperialism might also join the boycott. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine to boycott 2024 Paris Olympics if Russians are allowed to compete: PM

Heavy rainfall in the French capital has dwindled Paris' plans on testing the readiness for swimmers to take a dip and participate in a race in the River Seine at next year's Summer Olympics.

On Friday (4 August), a training session, that was planned for swimmers who were aiming to take part in a race this weekend in the river, was called off due to the declining water quality which dropped below acceptable standards, said the international governing body of swimming announced.

That can most likely happen when rains cause overflows of untreated waste into the Seine.

The French government is set to spend around $1.6 billion on the Seine regeneration project.

According to the officials, the water-management projects will make the pollution issues caused by storms less frequent.

World Aquatics released a statement saying that after days of rains, “The water quality in the Seine has currently fallen below acceptable standards for safeguarding swimmers’ health,” as per AP reports.

It further said that a call on whether the Open Water Swimming World Cup, which was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, will follow more water-quality tests.

The competition, which will be among a raft of events, has been organised to test Paris’ Olympic plans.

<h2>River Seine to be venue for marathon swimming at Games next summer &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>

Paris' River Seine has been chosen as the venue for marathon swimming at the Games next summer.

Banned for almost 100 years due to filthy water, three Olympic and Paralympic events, triathlon, marathon swimming and Para-triathlon will take place in the river and by the year 2025, three open-air swimming areas will be accessible from the quayside.

The water quality of the river drastically declined in all these years due to industrial sewage and the sanitation demands of the growing population in the French capital.

The declining water quality affected the aquatic life to a point where in the 1960s only three species of fish were recorded in Paris.&nbsp;

Swimming in the Seine was banned in the year 1923.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sweden-100-detained-over-50-injured-as-riot-breaks-out-over-eritrean-festival-622276">Sweden: 100 detained, over 50 injured as riot breaks out over Eritrean festival</a>

<h2>Three swimming areas to open on the Seine</h2>

Over the last 20 years, the advancements that have been made have resulted in a sharp decline of faecal bacteria entering the river.

"But the difficulty has been in eradicating those last few percentage points to ensure it can be officially classified as clean," the BBC quoted Samuel Colin-Canivez, chief engineer for sanitation at Paris city hall as saying.

The government is now building a huge reservoir underground that will help in storing run-off in times of heavy rainfall.

"Up to now, the Seine has been the safety valve for the sewage system. If we didn't occasionally allow wastewater into the river, it would have backed up into people's homes," Colin-Canivez added.

"Now a tunnel will bring the overflow to the reservoir, where it can be stored for a day or two - the time for the system to settle down again. Then it will be drained as normal to the treatment centres," he further said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Heavy rainfall in the French capital has dwindled Paris' plans on testing the readiness for swimmers to take a dip and participate in a race in the River Seine at next year's Summer Olympics.

Heavy rainfall in the French capital has dwindled Paris' plans on testing the readiness for swimmers to take a dip and participate in a race in the River Seine at next year's Summer Olympics. On Friday (4 August), a training session, that was planned for swimmers who were aiming to take part in a race this weekend in the river, was called off due to the declining water quality which dropped below acceptable standards, said the international governing body of swimming announced. That can most likely happen when rains cause overflows of untreated waste into the Seine. The French government is set to spend around $1.6 billion on the Seine regeneration project. According to the officials, the water-management projects will make the pollution issues caused by storms less frequent. World Aquatics released a statement saying that after days of rains, “The water quality in the Seine has currently fallen below acceptable standards for safeguarding swimmers’ health,” as per AP reports. It further said that a call on whether the Open Water Swimming World Cup, which was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, will follow more water-quality tests. The competition, which will be among a raft of events, has been organised to test Paris’ Olympic plans. River Seine to be venue for marathon swimming at Games next summer Paris' River Seine has been chosen as the venue for marathon swimming at the Games next summer. Banned for almost 100 years due to filthy water, three Olympic and Paralympic events, triathlon, marathon swimming and Para-triathlon will take place in the river and by the year 2025, three open-air swimming areas will be accessible from the quayside. The water quality of the river drastically declined in all these years due to industrial sewage and the sanitation demands of the growing population in the French capital. The declining water quality affected the aquatic life to a point where in the 1960s only three species of fish were recorded in Paris. Swimming in the Seine was banned in the year 1923. Also read: Sweden: 100 detained, over 50 injured as riot breaks out over Eritrean festival Three swimming areas to open on the Seine Over the last 20 years, the advancements that have been made have resulted in a sharp decline of faecal bacteria entering the river. "But the difficulty has been in eradicating those last few percentage points to ensure it can be officially classified as clean," the BBC quoted Samuel Colin-Canivez, chief engineer for sanitation at Paris city hall as saying. The government is now building a huge reservoir underground that will help in storing run-off in times of heavy rainfall. "Up to now, the Seine has been the safety valve for the sewage system. If we didn't occasionally allow wastewater into the river, it would have backed up into people's homes," Colin-Canivez added. "Now a tunnel will bring the overflow to the reservoir, where it can be stored for a day or two - the time for the system to settle down again. Then it will be drained as normal to the treatment centres," he further said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Degrading quality of water due to heavy rains tests Paris' readiness for Olympics

Ukraine's Olga Kharlan was invited to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris next year by the IOC on Friday after the fencer was disqualified for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent during a tournament earlier this week.

A letter sent to Kharlan signed by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said she would be granted an additional quota place at the Olympics if she failed to qualify.

"Rest assured the IOC will continue to stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine during these extremely difficult times," it added.

Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medallist and world champion, won her individual sabre bout 15-7 and then refused to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova - competing as a neutral - at the World Championships in Milan on Thursday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/juventus-excluded-from-european-competition-next-season-over-ffp-breach-uefa-620455">Juventus excluded from European competition next season over FFP breach - UEFA</a>

In fencing's rules, shaking an opponent's hand is mandatory and failure to do so results in a 'black card'.

Ukraine's Youth and Sports minister Vadym Huttsait welcomed the IOC decision in a Facebook post.

"Despite all the hate that my team and I have endured over the past 24 hours, after working persistently for the benefit of Ukrainian athletes and not responding to this, we now have our first result," he said.

"Work is continuing to rescind the "black card" for Olha's future competitions and to prevent similar situations in other sports."

Ukraine's Fencing Federation (NFFU) also backed Kharlan.

Ukrainian athletes in other sports - including tennis players Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk - have also refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow using Belarus as a staging ground for what it calls a "special military operation".

The IOC said earlier on Friday that international federations should handle situations involving Ukrainian and neutral athletes with sensitivity.

<h2>RULES RELAXED</h2>

Kharlan represented Ukraine in the fencing tournament after the country's sports ministry relaxed its rules over national sports teams taking part in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events with competitors from Russia and Belarus.

"The decision taken by the Ukraine sports ministry will allow Ukrainian athletes to participate in international competitions and will enable them to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the IOC told Reuters on Friday.

"We are glad that they will be given this opportunity, and at the same time, we are aware of the difficult inner conflicts they may have, given the aggression against their country.

"Therefore, we encourage International Federations to handle situations involving Ukrainian and Individual Neutral Athletes with the necessary degree of sensitivity.

"We continue to stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine."

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Ukraine's Olga Kharlan was invited to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris next year by the IOC on Friday after the fencer was disqualified for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent during a tournament earlier this week.

Ukraine's Olga Kharlan was invited to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris next year by the IOC on Friday after the fencer was disqualified for refusing to shake hands with a Russian opponent during a tournament earlier this week. A letter sent to Kharlan signed by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said she would be granted an additional quota place at the Olympics if she failed to qualify. "Rest assured the IOC will continue to stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine during these extremely difficult times," it added. Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medallist and world champion, won her individual sabre bout 15-7 and then refused to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova - competing as a neutral - at the World Championships in Milan on Thursday. ALSO READ: Juventus excluded from European competition next season over FFP breach - UEFA In fencing's rules, shaking an opponent's hand is mandatory and failure to do so results in a 'black card'. Ukraine's Youth and Sports minister Vadym Huttsait welcomed the IOC decision in a Facebook post. "Despite all the hate that my team and I have endured over the past 24 hours, after working persistently for the benefit of Ukrainian athletes and not responding to this, we now have our first result," he said. "Work is continuing to rescind the "black card" for Olha's future competitions and to prevent similar situations in other sports." Ukraine's Fencing Federation (NFFU) also backed Kharlan. Ukrainian athletes in other sports - including tennis players Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk - have also refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow using Belarus as a staging ground for what it calls a "special military operation". The IOC said earlier on Friday that international federations should handle situations involving Ukrainian and neutral athletes with sensitivity. RULES RELAXED Kharlan represented Ukraine in the fencing tournament after the country's sports ministry relaxed its rules over national sports teams taking part in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events with competitors from Russia and Belarus. "The decision taken by the Ukraine sports ministry will allow Ukrainian athletes to participate in international competitions and will enable them to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the IOC told Reuters on Friday. "We are glad that they will be given this opportunity, and at the same time, we are aware of the difficult inner conflicts they may have, given the aggression against their country. "Therefore, we encourage International Federations to handle situations involving Ukrainian and Individual Neutral Athletes with the necessary degree of sensitivity. "We continue to stand in full solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Olympics: IOC invites Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan to Paris Games after disqualification

India's Avinash Sable has become the first track athlete from the country to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sable achieved the feat during the 3,000m steeplechase competition at the Silesia Diamond League. Sable clocked his second career-best time of 8 minutes and 11.63 seconds, beating the qualifying mark of 8:15.00 with a decent margin. His career-best is 8:11.20, which is also a national record in the event.

He finished sixth in the race which was won by reigning world and Olympic champion El Bakkali Soufiane in the meet record time of 8:03.16. Kenyan duo of Abraham Kibiwot (8:08.03) and Leonard Kipkemoi Bett (8:09.45) finished second and third, respectively.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIIS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIIS</a> athlete Avinash Sable finishes sixth in the 3000m steeplechase at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SilesiaDL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SilesiaDL</a>. ⚡️ 
 
With a season best timing of 8:11.63s, he has also sealed qualification for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a>. 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CraftingVictories?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CraftingVictories</a> 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/KxmrPrIBix">pic.twitter.com/KxmrPrIBix</a>
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Sable is overall sixth Indian to qualify for the quadrennial event. Before him, 20km race walkers -- Akshadeep Singh, Vikas Singh and Paramjeet Singh Bisht qualified for the men's event.

Priyanka Goswami had qualified for the same women's event. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar was the fifth one to qualify before Sable.

The Olympics committee considers men's and women's race walk in road events while the long jump comes under field event, making Sable the first track athlete from the country to qualify. The Olympic qualifications began July 1, 2023, and will continue till June 30, 2024.&nbsp;

The 28-year-old, with his sixth-place finish in Silesia, now has seven points in the Diamond League 2023 standings, including three from his latest race. Sable is currently ninth overall in the event in three Diamond League legs he took part in. He had finished 10th during the Rabat leg and a whopping fifth in Stockholm, with the timings of 8:17.18 and 8:21.88, respectively.

The athletes are awarded points instead of medals at eight legs of Diamond League in the run-up to the final. Top eight finishers overall of each event after all eight legs compete in the final for the trophy. The Diamond League Final 2023 will be held in Eugene, USA on September 16 and 17.

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India's Avinash Sable has become the first track athlete from the country to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sable achieved the feat during the 3,000m steeplechase competition at the Silesia Diamond League.

India's Avinash Sable has become the first track athlete from the country to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sable achieved the feat during the 3,000m steeplechase competition at the Silesia Diamond League. Sable clocked his second career-best time of 8 minutes and 11.63 seconds, beating the qualifying mark of 8:15.00 with a decent margin. His career-best is 8:11.20, which is also a national record in the event. He finished sixth in the race which was won by reigning world and Olympic champion El Bakkali Soufiane in the meet record time of 8:03.16. Kenyan duo of Abraham Kibiwot (8:08.03) and Leonard Kipkemoi Bett (8:09.45) finished second and third, respectively. Watch here: #TeamIIS athlete Avinash Sable finishes sixth in the 3000m steeplechase at the #SilesiaDL. ⚡️ With a season best timing of 8:11.63s, he has also sealed qualification for #Paris2024. 🤩#Olympics #CraftingVictories 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/KxmrPrIBix — Inspire Institute of Sport (@IIS_Vijayanagar) July 16, 2023 × Sable is overall sixth Indian to qualify for the quadrennial event. Before him, 20km race walkers -- Akshadeep Singh, Vikas Singh and Paramjeet Singh Bisht qualified for the men's event. Priyanka Goswami had qualified for the same women's event. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar was the fifth one to qualify before Sable. The Olympics committee considers men's and women's race walk in road events while the long jump comes under field event, making Sable the first track athlete from the country to qualify. The Olympic qualifications began July 1, 2023, and will continue till June 30, 2024. The 28-year-old, with his sixth-place finish in Silesia, now has seven points in the Diamond League 2023 standings, including three from his latest race. Sable is currently ninth overall in the event in three Diamond League legs he took part in. He had finished 10th during the Rabat leg and a whopping fifth in Stockholm, with the timings of 8:17.18 and 8:21.88, respectively. The athletes are awarded points instead of medals at eight legs of Diamond League in the run-up to the final. Top eight finishers overall of each event after all eight legs compete in the final for the trophy. The Diamond League Final 2023 will be held in Eugene, USA on September 16 and 17. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Avinash Sable becomes first Indian track athlete to qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics - WATCH

VIPs only will be allowed to drink alcohol during next year's Paris Olympics, organisers said Tuesday, in line with the so-called Evin law banning its sale in stadiums.

"In application of the Evin law, alcohol will be banned from sale to the general public in stadiums during the Paris 2024 Games," organisers of Paris 2024 told AFP.

Introduced in 1991, the Evin law outlaws the sale of alcohol in stadiums, but it has some loopholes.

Legislation allows organisers to request up to 10 exemptions per year and per municipality. But the organising committee of Paris 2024 said it did not seek any such exemption because the Games entail the organisation of "more than 700 sporting sessions over 15 days of competition".

The one exception at Paris 2024 under the law, however, will be for VIPs in hospitality boxes where food is also on offer.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-india-vs-pakistan-muttiah-muralitharan-names-the-match-he-is-looking-forward-to-in-odi-world-cup-609271">Not India vs Pakistan! Muttiah Muralitharan names the match he is looking forward to in ODI World Cup</a>"It is not up to Paris 2024 to comment on this difference, but to the legislator, in the last resort, to define the relevant framework for event organisers," the organising committee said.

Alcohol was available at the 2012 London Olympics and four years later in Rio, but the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games also banned it, albeit with no fans in the stadiums.

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VIPs only will be allowed to drink alcohol during next year's Paris Olympics, organisers said Tuesday, in line with the so-called Evin law banning its sale in stadiums.

VIPs only will be allowed to drink alcohol during next year's Paris Olympics, organisers said Tuesday, in line with the so-called Evin law banning its sale in stadiums. "In application of the Evin law, alcohol will be banned from sale to the general public in stadiums during the Paris 2024 Games," organisers of Paris 2024 told AFP. Introduced in 1991, the Evin law outlaws the sale of alcohol in stadiums, but it has some loopholes. Legislation allows organisers to request up to 10 exemptions per year and per municipality. But the organising committee of Paris 2024 said it did not seek any such exemption because the Games entail the organisation of "more than 700 sporting sessions over 15 days of competition". The one exception at Paris 2024 under the law, however, will be for VIPs in hospitality boxes where food is also on offer. ALSO READ | Not India vs Pakistan! Muttiah Muralitharan names the match he is looking forward to in ODI World Cup"It is not up to Paris 2024 to comment on this difference, but to the legislator, in the last resort, to define the relevant framework for event organisers," the organising committee said. Alcohol was available at the 2012 London Olympics and four years later in Rio, but the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games also banned it, albeit with no fans in the stadiums. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

VIPs exempt as Paris Olympics organisers confirm stadium alcohol ban

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday withdrew its recognition of boxing's governing body, the IBA, but said the sport would be on the programme at the 2024 and 2028 Games in Paris and Los Angeles.

The IOC executive board voted by 69 votes to one, with 10 abstentions, to expel the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the Olympic Movement in a seismic move for the sport.

The IOC's decision brings to an end four years of sparring between the Olympic body and the under-fire custodians of a sport that has appeared at every Games since 1904.

The IBA was suspended by the IOC in 2019 for multiple corruption scandals.

The IBA, whose president is Umar Kremlev of Russia, has also come under attack for its governance, financial transparency and sustainability.

"The IOC has constantly and patiently tried to help in the three areas of concern," IOC director general Christophe De Kepper said at the IOC session in Lausanne.

"There has been a constant lack of drastic revolution throughout the many years. It is a situation of no return."

De Kepper added: "The IBA was unable to provide the elements to allow the lifting of its suspension.

"It is not possible to reach any other conclusion than agree with the IOC's analysis. The only conclusion is to withdraw recognition."

<h2>Olympic place guaranteed</h2>

The IOC has put in place the 'Paris Boxing Unit' to ensure qualification and hosting of the sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

De Kepper said he "guarantees" boxing will also be on programme for the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

IOC chief Thomas Bach, shortly before introducing De Kepper, told the session that "we have an extremely serious problem with the IBA".

"We do not have a problem with boxing. We do not have a problem with boxers," Bach said.

"If we had a problem with boxers there would not have been a competition in Tokyo. There would be no boxing competition in Paris."

Bach added: "We highly value the sport of boxing but unfortunately we have an extremely serious problem with the IBA because of their governance.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-bell-claims-australia-have-more-to-work-on-despite-cummins-cos-narrow-win-in-edgbaston-607319">Ashes 2023: Bell claims 'Australia have more to work on' despite Cummins &amp; Co.'s narrow win in Edgbaston</a>

"Because we value the sport of boxing so much, we believe the boxers fully deserve to be governed by an international federation with integrity and transparency."

The IBA's major backer has been Russian energy giant Gazprom in a deal worth a reported $50 million.

The IBA, in contrast to many other international sports bodies, continue to allow athletes from Russia and its political ally Belarus to compete under their own flags despite last year's invasion of Ukraine.

The Women's World Boxing Championships in India last month went ahead with several nations boycotting the event because of the IBA's policy.

Boxing only went ahead in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics after the IOC stepped in to ensure the qualification criteria.

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The International Olympic Committee on Thursday withdrew its recognition of boxing's governing body, the IBA, but said the sport would be on the programme at the 2024 and 2028 Games in Paris and Los Angeles.

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday withdrew its recognition of boxing's governing body, the IBA, but said the sport would be on the programme at the 2024 and 2028 Games in Paris and Los Angeles. The IOC executive board voted by 69 votes to one, with 10 abstentions, to expel the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the Olympic Movement in a seismic move for the sport. The IOC's decision brings to an end four years of sparring between the Olympic body and the under-fire custodians of a sport that has appeared at every Games since 1904. The IBA was suspended by the IOC in 2019 for multiple corruption scandals. The IBA, whose president is Umar Kremlev of Russia, has also come under attack for its governance, financial transparency and sustainability. "The IOC has constantly and patiently tried to help in the three areas of concern," IOC director general Christophe De Kepper said at the IOC session in Lausanne. "There has been a constant lack of drastic revolution throughout the many years. It is a situation of no return." De Kepper added: "The IBA was unable to provide the elements to allow the lifting of its suspension. "It is not possible to reach any other conclusion than agree with the IOC's analysis. The only conclusion is to withdraw recognition." Olympic place guaranteed The IOC has put in place the 'Paris Boxing Unit' to ensure qualification and hosting of the sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics. De Kepper said he "guarantees" boxing will also be on programme for the Los Angeles Games in 2028. IOC chief Thomas Bach, shortly before introducing De Kepper, told the session that "we have an extremely serious problem with the IBA". "We do not have a problem with boxing. We do not have a problem with boxers," Bach said. "If we had a problem with boxers there would not have been a competition in Tokyo. There would be no boxing competition in Paris." Bach added: "We highly value the sport of boxing but unfortunately we have an extremely serious problem with the IBA because of their governance. ALSO READ | Ashes 2023: Bell claims 'Australia have more to work on' despite Cummins & Co.'s narrow win in Edgbaston "Because we value the sport of boxing so much, we believe the boxers fully deserve to be governed by an international federation with integrity and transparency." The IBA's major backer has been Russian energy giant Gazprom in a deal worth a reported $50 million. The IBA, in contrast to many other international sports bodies, continue to allow athletes from Russia and its political ally Belarus to compete under their own flags despite last year's invasion of Ukraine. The Women's World Boxing Championships in India last month went ahead with several nations boycotting the event because of the IBA's policy. Boxing only went ahead in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics after the IOC stepped in to ensure the qualification criteria. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IOC guarantees boxing a place at Olympics despite ejecting IBA

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday appealed to Ukraine to give their athletes the chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics despite a partial ban on competing against Russian and Belarusian athletes. IOC President Thomas Bach said the Olympic body would support "every Ukrainian athlete" who wanted to take part in Olympic qualifying events in their respective sport.

"We want to make it possible for every Ukrainian athlete to qualify now and participate in the Olympic Games," Bach said at the start of an IOC session. "We will support every Ukrainian athlete in their preparation and participation in any competition they want to take part in," he said.

Ukraine in March banned its national sports teams from competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that include competitors from Russia and Belarus. In some individual sports those Russian and Belarusian athletes remain banned but in others, such as&nbsp;tennis, Ukrainian players regularly face Russian or Belarusian competitors playing as neutral athletes.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-paris-2024-headquarters-raided-in-corruption-allegations-606560">Olympics: Paris 2024 headquarters raided in corruption allegations</a>

Ukraine's ban came after the IOC angered Kyiv by paving the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, initially using its ally Belarus as a staging ground for troops driving towards Kyiv in what Moscow called a "special military operation".

Ukraine had previously warned its sports federations that it would strip them of their status as governing bodies if their athletes competed on the international stage with Russians and Belarusians. Athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from most international competitions last year following Russia's invasion.

But the IOC earlier this year recommended they return to world sport as neutrals, without flag or anthem. No decision has yet been taken on Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation at the Paris Olympics next year.

"The entire Olympic community, the entire world is longing for Ukrainian athletes shining brightly in international competitions," Bach said. "We want them to have the opportunity to qualify for Paris 2024. This means participating now."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday appealed to Ukraine to give their athletes the chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics despite a partial ban on competing against Russian and Belarusian athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday appealed to Ukraine to give their athletes the chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics despite a partial ban on competing against Russian and Belarusian athletes. IOC President Thomas Bach said the Olympic body would support "every Ukrainian athlete" who wanted to take part in Olympic qualifying events in their respective sport. "We want to make it possible for every Ukrainian athlete to qualify now and participate in the Olympic Games," Bach said at the start of an IOC session. "We will support every Ukrainian athlete in their preparation and participation in any competition they want to take part in," he said. Ukraine in March banned its national sports teams from competing in Olympic, non-Olympic and Paralympic events that include competitors from Russia and Belarus. In some individual sports those Russian and Belarusian athletes remain banned but in others, such as tennis, Ukrainian players regularly face Russian or Belarusian competitors playing as neutral athletes. Also read: Olympics: Paris 2024 headquarters raided in corruption allegations Ukraine's ban came after the IOC angered Kyiv by paving the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, initially using its ally Belarus as a staging ground for troops driving towards Kyiv in what Moscow called a "special military operation". Ukraine had previously warned its sports federations that it would strip them of their status as governing bodies if their athletes competed on the international stage with Russians and Belarusians. Athletes from Russia and Belarus were banned from most international competitions last year following Russia's invasion. But the IOC earlier this year recommended they return to world sport as neutrals, without flag or anthem. No decision has yet been taken on Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation at the Paris Olympics next year. "The entire Olympic community, the entire world is longing for Ukrainian athletes shining brightly in international competitions," Bach said. "We want them to have the opportunity to qualify for Paris 2024. This means participating now."

Ukrainian athletes should have chance to qualify for Paris 2024, says IOC

The 2024 Paris Olympics are coming in significantly over budget because of an "incomprehensible lack of understanding of the complexity of the IOC's specifications", France's Court of Audit has found. The court's latest report, which was sent to AFP on Wednesday, said the Paris bid committee 'underestimated'&nbsp;the costs of staging the Games at the time of the bid and warned that cuts might be needed before next summer.

"Further measures to reduce service levels will be required to ensure final budgetary equilibrium," said the report adding that "substantial uncertainties remain concerning the final level of resources."

The report also highlighted difficulty securing enough bids from private security firms, sponsorship shortfalls, the difficulty in working out total costs and delays in finishing construction, particularly of transport infrastructure.

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The budget for the organising committee, known as Cojo, around 3.3 billion euros at the time of the successful bid in 2017, rose to 4.4 billion euros by the end of 2022.

The report estimated that "two-thirds" of the increase "resulted not from management drift or ill-considered changes to the project, but from an obvious underestimation of the bid budget and an incomprehensible lack of understanding of the complexity of the IOC's (International Olympic Committee) specifications".

The report said budget revisions for 2022, by an extra 400 million euros, partly due to inflation, "were carried out transparently and rigorously" by Cojo.

The report comes just after French authorities carried out a series of raids on Cojo, Solideo, the body in charge of the Olympic construction sites, and other companies with ties to the Games.

A source close to the case told AFP that the searches on Tuesday and Wednesday, were part of two preliminary investigations by the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office into the contracts awarded for the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, the audit report said it was concerned over local sponsorship deals, which are budgeted to bring Cojo 1.24 billion euros.

"Some 337.2 million euros remain to be secured, which means it is imperative to conclude the partnership with (French luxury giant) LVMH, announced for 140 million but still not signed," said the report.

The report reiterated a request that "all costs" be "consolidated" because it was impossible to establish a clear total bill.

The court also expressed concern at the failure of Cojo to attract enough bidders for private security contracts.

<h2>Underestimating budget now costing Paris</h2>

Despite "the combined efforts of the Cojo, the State and the professional sector, there is a real risk that several calls for tender will remain unsuccessful," it said.

The report added that "the now-probable recourse to internal security forces and the armed forces to make up for this shortfall must therefore be anticipated."

The report also fretted about failure to complete metro train improvements and extensions on time as well as continuing issues afflicting public transport in the region.

"These infrastructure projects remain essential to ensure the smooth flow of traffic during the Games", said the report.

The report also urged Solideo to take "reinforcement measures" to ensure the completion of "certain structures affected by delays" such as the athletes' village, media village, and at least one arena.

&nbsp;

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The 2024 Paris Olympics are coming in significantly over budget because of an "incomprehensible lack of understanding of the complexity of the IOC's specifications", France's Court of Audit has found.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are coming in significantly over budget because of an "incomprehensible lack of understanding of the complexity of the IOC's specifications", France's Court of Audit has found. The court's latest report, which was sent to AFP on Wednesday, said the Paris bid committee 'underestimated' the costs of staging the Games at the time of the bid and warned that cuts might be needed before next summer. "Further measures to reduce service levels will be required to ensure final budgetary equilibrium," said the report adding that "substantial uncertainties remain concerning the final level of resources." The report also highlighted difficulty securing enough bids from private security firms, sponsorship shortfalls, the difficulty in working out total costs and delays in finishing construction, particularly of transport infrastructure. ALSO READ: US Senate panel invites PGA Tour commissioner, LIV CEO to testify on merger The budget for the organising committee, known as Cojo, around 3.3 billion euros at the time of the successful bid in 2017, rose to 4.4 billion euros by the end of 2022. The report estimated that "two-thirds" of the increase "resulted not from management drift or ill-considered changes to the project, but from an obvious underestimation of the bid budget and an incomprehensible lack of understanding of the complexity of the IOC's (International Olympic Committee) specifications". The report said budget revisions for 2022, by an extra 400 million euros, partly due to inflation, "were carried out transparently and rigorously" by Cojo. The report comes just after French authorities carried out a series of raids on Cojo, Solideo, the body in charge of the Olympic construction sites, and other companies with ties to the Games. A source close to the case told AFP that the searches on Tuesday and Wednesday, were part of two preliminary investigations by the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office into the contracts awarded for the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, the audit report said it was concerned over local sponsorship deals, which are budgeted to bring Cojo 1.24 billion euros. "Some 337.2 million euros remain to be secured, which means it is imperative to conclude the partnership with (French luxury giant) LVMH, announced for 140 million but still not signed," said the report. The report reiterated a request that "all costs" be "consolidated" because it was impossible to establish a clear total bill. The court also expressed concern at the failure of Cojo to attract enough bidders for private security contracts. Underestimating budget now costing Paris Despite "the combined efforts of the Cojo, the State and the professional sector, there is a real risk that several calls for tender will remain unsuccessful," it said. The report added that "the now-probable recourse to internal security forces and the armed forces to make up for this shortfall must therefore be anticipated." The report also fretted about failure to complete metro train improvements and extensions on time as well as continuing issues afflicting public transport in the region. "These infrastructure projects remain essential to ensure the smooth flow of traffic during the Games", said the report. The report also urged Solideo to take "reinforcement measures" to ensure the completion of "certain structures affected by delays" such as the athletes' village, media village, and at least one arena. WATCH WON LIVE HERE:

2024 Paris Olympics: Bidding committee 'underestimated' budget, says government report

The French police searched the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee on Tuesday as part of an investigation into alleged charges of embezzlement of public funds and favouritism.

French police raid Paris 2024 Olympics headquarters in corruption probe

French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) president Brigitte Henriques has resigned a little over a year before the Paris 2024 Summer Games, the CNOSF said on Thursday.

"At the opening of the CNOSF general assembly held today at the Maison du Sport Français, Brigitte Henriques announced her decision to step down as president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee," the CNOSF said in a statement.

The Paris 2024 Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11.

Henriques had asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to launch an internal audit of the CNOSF amid a long-standing row with former general secretary Didier Seminet.

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Henriques returned to her position last December following two months sick leave after accusing Seminet of "psychological violence".

Seminet has denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit against Henriques.

The CNOSF is not related to the Paris 2024 organising committee.

"Astrid Guyart, general secretary of the CNOSF, will assume the presidency ... during this transitional period and will have to organise a Board of Directors that will elect a president from among its members within the next three months," the statement added. "Brigitte Henriques calls on all members of the sports movement to remain mobilised on the essential and paramount objective: the full success of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024."

Henriques had also been at odds with her predecessor Denis Masseglia, with her lawyer, Arash Derambarsh, saying last month that she and the CNOSF had been targeted by a campaign of "destabilisation, false information and lies".

"I would like to sincerely thank and salute Brigitte Henriques for her commitment to French sport. For the past two years, she has been at Paris 2024's side at all times," Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"Today, one year before the Games, I call for collective responsibility. It is urgent to find a climate of peace and stability so that the sport movement is at the heart of the success of the Games."

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French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) president Brigitte Henriques has resigned a little over a year before the Paris 2024 Summer Games, the CNOSF said on Thursday. "At the opening of the CNOSF general assembly held today at the Maison du Sport Français, Brigitte Henriques announced her decision to step down as president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee," the CNOSF said in a statement.

French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) president Brigitte Henriques has resigned a little over a year before the Paris 2024 Summer Games, the CNOSF said on Thursday. "At the opening of the CNOSF general assembly held today at the Maison du Sport Français, Brigitte Henriques announced her decision to step down as president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee," the CNOSF said in a statement. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be held from July 26-Aug. 11. Henriques had asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to launch an internal audit of the CNOSF amid a long-standing row with former general secretary Didier Seminet. ALSO READ: Monaco GP: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes deal is close, no Ferrari talks; opines on Vinicius Jr's racism case Henriques returned to her position last December following two months sick leave after accusing Seminet of "psychological violence". Seminet has denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit against Henriques. The CNOSF is not related to the Paris 2024 organising committee. "Astrid Guyart, general secretary of the CNOSF, will assume the presidency ... during this transitional period and will have to organise a Board of Directors that will elect a president from among its members within the next three months," the statement added. "Brigitte Henriques calls on all members of the sports movement to remain mobilised on the essential and paramount objective: the full success of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024." Henriques had also been at odds with her predecessor Denis Masseglia, with her lawyer, Arash Derambarsh, saying last month that she and the CNOSF had been targeted by a campaign of "destabilisation, false information and lies". "I would like to sincerely thank and salute Brigitte Henriques for her commitment to French sport. For the past two years, she has been at Paris 2024's side at all times," Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said in a statement sent to Reuters. "Today, one year before the Games, I call for collective responsibility. It is urgent to find a climate of peace and stability so that the sport movement is at the heart of the success of the Games." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

French Olympic Committee prez Brigitte Henriques resigns ahead of Paris Games amid row with Didier Seminet

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday issued recommendations for the gradual return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition. Olympic chiefs, as per AFP, recommended their return as individual neutrals but refrained from giving a timeline on their potential participation at next year's Paris Olympics. As per Reuters, the IOC Executive Board will take a decision regarding the Paris Olympics at a later date. IOC president Thomas Bach said that the board had recommended to international federations and sports event organisers that "athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes," with no flag or anthem.

Bach said that politics could not be part of sports competitions and that athletes should not be punished for their passports.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;IOC hopes that British Government "respect autonomy of sport" over Russia stance

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The IOC recommendations include only neutral entries, along with a ban on participation in team events. Additionally, athletes must have a proven drug testing record. Furthermore, sports persons&nbsp;who support the Ukraine war or are contracted to their countries' military or national security agencies are to be excluded.

Talking about the Paris Olympics decision, Bach said: "The IOC will take this decision at the appropriate time at its full discretion, without being bound by results of previous Olympic qualifiers." He did not specify a time frame.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ukraine-allies-slam-ioc-say-not-a-single-reason-to-lift-olympics-ban-on-athletes-from-russia-and-belarus-576414">Ukraine allies slam IOC, say 'not a single reason' to lift olympics ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus</a>

Ukraine welcomed the decision to "postpone" the decision regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.&nbsp;

However, Russian Olympic Committee chief, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, labelled the recommendations "absolutely unacceptable."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-ioc-to-have-last-word-on-russian-inclusion-says-organising-committee-head-tony-estanguet-572041">Paris Olympics: IOC to have 'last word' on Russian inclusion, says organising committee head Tony Estanguet</a>

Many other countries reacted angrily. Czech&nbsp;Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said Russia had no place in the Olympics, and that he was "disappointed by the IOC recommendations."

Ukraine's neighbour Poland called it a "day of shame" for the Olympic body.&nbsp;Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk took to Twitter to ask "What happened that was so positive from the Russian side that their athletes should take part in competitions!!."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday issued recommendations for the gradual return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday issued recommendations for the gradual return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competition. Olympic chiefs, as per AFP, recommended their return as individual neutrals but refrained from giving a timeline on their potential participation at next year's Paris Olympics. As per Reuters, the IOC Executive Board will take a decision regarding the Paris Olympics at a later date. IOC president Thomas Bach said that the board had recommended to international federations and sports event organisers that "athletes with a Russian or a Belarusian passport must compete only as Individual Neutral Athletes," with no flag or anthem. Bach said that politics could not be part of sports competitions and that athletes should not be punished for their passports. Watch | IOC hopes that British Government "respect autonomy of sport" over Russia stance The IOC recommendations include only neutral entries, along with a ban on participation in team events. Additionally, athletes must have a proven drug testing record. Furthermore, sports persons who support the Ukraine war or are contracted to their countries' military or national security agencies are to be excluded. Talking about the Paris Olympics decision, Bach said: "The IOC will take this decision at the appropriate time at its full discretion, without being bound by results of previous Olympic qualifiers." He did not specify a time frame. Also read | Ukraine allies slam IOC, say 'not a single reason' to lift olympics ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus Ukraine welcomed the decision to "postpone" the decision regarding Russian and Belarusian athletes' participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, Russian Olympic Committee chief, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, labelled the recommendations "absolutely unacceptable." Also read | Paris Olympics: IOC to have 'last word' on Russian inclusion, says organising committee head Tony Estanguet Many other countries reacted angrily. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said Russia had no place in the Olympics, and that he was "disappointed by the IOC recommendations." Ukraine's neighbour Poland called it a "day of shame" for the Olympic body. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk took to Twitter to ask "What happened that was so positive from the Russian side that their athletes should take part in competitions!!." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IOC backs Russian, Belarusian athletes return as 'neutral' entries to events; no decision on Paris Olympics

There is "not a single reason" to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Olympics, said Ukraine, Poland and the Baltics nation on Monday as they reiterated their call to maintain the restrictions. Their statement comes as the IOC (International Olympic Committee) executive board prepares for a meeting in Lausanne. The meeting that begins on Tuesday will discuss the issue of the Russian athletes.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;IOC hopes that British Government "respect autonomy of sport" over Russia stance

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Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the statement which is co-signed by Ukraine, the target of Russian aggression say "there exists not a single reason to move away from the exclusion regime for Russian and Belarusian athletes set by the IOC more than a year ago."

The nations further added that they were of the opinion that "now is not the time to consider the opening up of a pathway for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to the Olympic Games in any status."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-ioc-to-have-last-word-on-russian-inclusion-says-organising-committee-head-tony-estanguet-572041">Paris Olympics: IOC to have 'last word' on Russian inclusion, says organising committee head Tony Estanguet</a>

In January, as per AFP, the IOC said that while it wants to continue its ban "on flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications" from Russia and Belarus, it was seeking a pathway to let their athletes compete provided that they have "not actively supported the war in Ukraine".

The statement was made as the Paris Olympics loom on the horizon, not even 500 days away.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-over-30-countries-write-to-ioc-demanding-clarity-on-allowing-russian-belarusian-athletes-564183">Paris Olympics: Over 30 Countries write to IOC demanding clarity on allowing Russian, Belarusian athletes</a>

War-torn Ukraine's allies, however, were not pleased by the IOC's stand and slammed the international body for its&nbsp;efforts to bring Russians and Belarusians into international competitions. As per the&nbsp;AFP report, Estonia even brought up the idea of a boycott of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, if Russians are&nbsp;given the opportunity to compete.

(With inputs from agencies)

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There is "not a single reason" to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Olympics, said Ukraine, Poland and the Baltics nation on Monday as they reiterated their call to maintain the restrictions.

There is "not a single reason" to lift the ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Olympics, said Ukraine, Poland and the Baltics nation on Monday as they reiterated their call to maintain the restrictions. Their statement comes as the IOC (International Olympic Committee) executive board prepares for a meeting in Lausanne. The meeting that begins on Tuesday will discuss the issue of the Russian athletes. Watch | IOC hopes that British Government "respect autonomy of sport" over Russia stance Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the statement which is co-signed by Ukraine, the target of Russian aggression say "there exists not a single reason to move away from the exclusion regime for Russian and Belarusian athletes set by the IOC more than a year ago." The nations further added that they were of the opinion that "now is not the time to consider the opening up of a pathway for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to the Olympic Games in any status." Also read | Paris Olympics: IOC to have 'last word' on Russian inclusion, says organising committee head Tony Estanguet In January, as per AFP, the IOC said that while it wants to continue its ban "on flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications" from Russia and Belarus, it was seeking a pathway to let their athletes compete provided that they have "not actively supported the war in Ukraine". The statement was made as the Paris Olympics loom on the horizon, not even 500 days away. Also read | Paris Olympics: Over 30 Countries write to IOC demanding clarity on allowing Russian, Belarusian athletes War-torn Ukraine's allies, however, were not pleased by the IOC's stand and slammed the international body for its efforts to bring Russians and Belarusians into international competitions. As per the AFP report, Estonia even brought up the idea of a boycott of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, if Russians are given the opportunity to compete. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine allies slam IOC, say 'not a single reason' to lift olympics ban on athletes from Russia and Belarus

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee Tony Estanguet said in an interview to mark 500 days before the start of the Games that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have the "last word" on whether athletes from Russian and Belarus will be allowed to compete next year. &nbsp;Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, assisted by its ally Belarus, there have been calls from across the sporting world either to ban their athletes or have them compete under a neutral flag.

Last week, however, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) became the first Olympic sport to reopen events to athletes from the two nations when it decided to allow fencers to compete in Olympic qualifying events, sparking outrage in Ukraine.

"The international federations are currently refining their qualifications, to know if Russian or Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in these qualifying competitions," Estanguet told AFP.

"And then the IOC, depending on what the international federations have done, even if Russian or Belarusian athletes have qualified, will be able to say whether it will allow them to participate in these Games or not.

"This decision has not been taken. And Paris 2024 is not in a position to decide."

Estanguet said the priority, however, was not the Olympics but "how the situation can be resolved quickly and how we can best support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian athletes".

The three-time Olympic gold medallist said he had discussed the Russia/Belarus question with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Of course there are exchanges between us and the president of the republic, and between the president and the IOC," Estanguet said.

"Again, it is the IOC that has the last word."

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fact-check-is-aussie-legend-adam-gilchrist-the-richest-cricketer-in-the-world-heres-the-truth-571877">FACT CHECK: Is Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist the richest cricketer in the world? Here's the TRUTH</a></h3>

In spite of the crisis surrounding the ongoing war in Ukraine, Estanguet sounded upbeat as he looked ahead to next year's Olympics and Paralympics in the French capital.

"We feel that all the ingredients are in place for the magic of the Games to work," he said.

"The athletes are already qualifying, the infrastructure continues to advance... fans are readying themselves. Three million tickets were sold in the first phase of sales, in less than three weeks, a record in France.

"The green light is on, we are on schedule, we still have the same ambitions."

In spite of the high sales, the organising committee has come in for criticism for the high price of tickets and the system being used to sell them.

"There are many more people interested than there are tickets available, even though we have 13 million tickets," he said, citing numbers for the Olympics and the Paralympics combined.

"There are still opportunities (to get tickets). That starts with the second phase (beginning on Wednesday).

"There will not be enough for everyone and I expect that this second phase will continue to generate disappointments and frustrations. It's inevitable. But some people will be lucky, you have to take your chances."

Estanguet also said there was "still time to refine" the opening ceremony which organisers intend to hold on the Seine, the river that cuts through Paris.

"There are still adaptations to be made," he said. "It is normal and I think that there will be many between now and July 26, 2024."

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee Tony Estanguet said in an interview to mark 500 days before the start of the Games that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have the "last word" on whether athletes from Russian and Belarus will be allowed to compete next year.

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee Tony Estanguet said in an interview to mark 500 days before the start of the Games that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have the "last word" on whether athletes from Russian and Belarus will be allowed to compete next year. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, assisted by its ally Belarus, there have been calls from across the sporting world either to ban their athletes or have them compete under a neutral flag. Last week, however, the International Fencing Federation (FIE) became the first Olympic sport to reopen events to athletes from the two nations when it decided to allow fencers to compete in Olympic qualifying events, sparking outrage in Ukraine. "The international federations are currently refining their qualifications, to know if Russian or Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate in these qualifying competitions," Estanguet told AFP. "And then the IOC, depending on what the international federations have done, even if Russian or Belarusian athletes have qualified, will be able to say whether it will allow them to participate in these Games or not. "This decision has not been taken. And Paris 2024 is not in a position to decide." Estanguet said the priority, however, was not the Olympics but "how the situation can be resolved quickly and how we can best support the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian athletes". The three-time Olympic gold medallist said he had discussed the Russia/Belarus question with French President Emmanuel Macron. "Of course there are exchanges between us and the president of the republic, and between the president and the IOC," Estanguet said. "Again, it is the IOC that has the last word." ALSO READ | FACT CHECK: Is Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist the richest cricketer in the world? Here's the TRUTH In spite of the crisis surrounding the ongoing war in Ukraine, Estanguet sounded upbeat as he looked ahead to next year's Olympics and Paralympics in the French capital. "We feel that all the ingredients are in place for the magic of the Games to work," he said. "The athletes are already qualifying, the infrastructure continues to advance... fans are readying themselves. Three million tickets were sold in the first phase of sales, in less than three weeks, a record in France. "The green light is on, we are on schedule, we still have the same ambitions." In spite of the high sales, the organising committee has come in for criticism for the high price of tickets and the system being used to sell them. "There are many more people interested than there are tickets available, even though we have 13 million tickets," he said, citing numbers for the Olympics and the Paralympics combined. "There are still opportunities (to get tickets). That starts with the second phase (beginning on Wednesday). "There will not be enough for everyone and I expect that this second phase will continue to generate disappointments and frustrations. It's inevitable. But some people will be lucky, you have to take your chances." Estanguet also said there was "still time to refine" the opening ceremony which organisers intend to hold on the Seine, the river that cuts through Paris. "There are still adaptations to be made," he said. "It is normal and I think that there will be many between now and July 26, 2024."

Paris Olympics: IOC to have 'last word' on Russian inclusion, says organising committee head Tony Estanguet

French labour union said on Thursday that they have&nbsp;cut the power to Paris 2024 Olympic building sites, news agency AFP reported. The development comes after the French&nbsp;senate on Thursday voted to raise the retirement age by two years to 64, in the face of strong opposition from labour unions.

The legislative body voted in favour of a decisive article to raise the age of retirement by 201 votes to 115.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mini-victory-for-macron-as-french-senate-approves-raising-retirement-age-to-64-570201">'Mini-victory' for Macron as French Senate vote approves raising retirement age to 64</a>

The affected sites include the building sites for the Olympic Village for the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as the main Stade de France stadium.

For the third day in a row, unions have kept up the resisting actions to force Macron government to drop the plan of raising the retirement age.&nbsp;

The government&nbsp;says raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 and tightening the requirements for a full pension are necessary to keep the French pension system from sinking into deficit.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;France: Day of protests against pension reforms

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"Faced with a government that refuses to budge, we too are refusing to budge," Sebastien Menesplier, secretary general of the hardline CGT union's energy branch, was quoted as saying by AFP.

"I appeal to the responsibility of the government and the president of the republic: withdraw your reform and the electricians and the gas workers will work for the public service and the general interest", he added.

<h2>France protests: How the supplies to Olympic sites were cut off?</h2>

Reports in the French media said that about three hundred men were present to cut off the supplies. Some, hooded, raised their arms and lit smoke bombs to hide those who cut the power from the cameras.

Strikers in the energy sector have since Tuesday staged wildcat power cuts, plunging certain sites across the country into darkness.

Government spokesman Olivier Veran on Wednesday condemned the wildcat cuts while expressing respect for the right to express disagreement in the street.

"We condemn calls to bring our economy to its knees because this is irresponsible. The only thing we want to bring to its knees is unemployment," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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French labour union said on Thursday that they have cut the power to Paris 2024 Olympic building sites, news agency AFP reported. The development comes after the French senate on Thursday voted to raise the retirement age by two years to 64, in the face of strong opposition from labour unions.

French labour union said on Thursday that they have cut the power to Paris 2024 Olympic building sites, news agency AFP reported. The development comes after the French senate on Thursday voted to raise the retirement age by two years to 64, in the face of strong opposition from labour unions. The legislative body voted in favour of a decisive article to raise the age of retirement by 201 votes to 115. ALSO READ | 'Mini-victory' for Macron as French Senate vote approves raising retirement age to 64 The affected sites include the building sites for the Olympic Village for the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as the main Stade de France stadium. For the third day in a row, unions have kept up the resisting actions to force Macron government to drop the plan of raising the retirement age. The government says raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 and tightening the requirements for a full pension are necessary to keep the French pension system from sinking into deficit. ALSO WATCH | France: Day of protests against pension reforms × "Faced with a government that refuses to budge, we too are refusing to budge," Sebastien Menesplier, secretary general of the hardline CGT union's energy branch, was quoted as saying by AFP. "I appeal to the responsibility of the government and the president of the republic: withdraw your reform and the electricians and the gas workers will work for the public service and the general interest", he added. France protests: How the supplies to Olympic sites were cut off? Reports in the French media said that about three hundred men were present to cut off the supplies. Some, hooded, raised their arms and lit smoke bombs to hide those who cut the power from the cameras. Strikers in the energy sector have since Tuesday staged wildcat power cuts, plunging certain sites across the country into darkness. Government spokesman Olivier Veran on Wednesday condemned the wildcat cuts while expressing respect for the right to express disagreement in the street. "We condemn calls to bring our economy to its knees because this is irresponsible. The only thing we want to bring to its knees is unemployment," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

France protests: Labour union says it has cut power to Paris Olympics sites

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine nears its first anniversary, the governments of more than 30 countries have taken a collective stance and written a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) disapproving the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine nears its first anniversary, the governments of more than 30 countries have taken a collective stance and written a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) disapproving the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the Paris Olympics 2024. “We have strong concerns on how feasible it is for Russian and Belarusian Olympic athletes to compete as ‘neutrals’...when they are directly funded and supported by their states,” read the letter. The countries also sought clarification on IOC's definition of 'neutrality' as the governing body attempts to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into the fold. “As long as these fundamental issues and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a workable ‘neutrality’ model are not addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed back into competition." Notably, the UK, France, Canada, Germany, and the US are among the countries to have signed the letter. Both Russia and its ally Belarus have been pushed to the fringes of most Olympic sports, following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine last year. WATCH | WION Speed News | Paris Olympics 2024: Zelensky attends meet to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes × However, the IOC, citing the United Nations human rights experts is attempting to change the situation. The body is of the view that "no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport". "Respect the rights of all athletes to be treated without any discrimination, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Governments must not decide which athletes can participate in which competition and which athletes cannot." Last month, Ukraine's presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak took to Twitter and slammed IOC for its stance by terming it a 'promoter of war'. "(The) IOC is a promoter of war, murder and destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure Russia destroying Ukraine and then offers Russia a platform to promote genocide and encourages their further killings," tweeted Podolyak. "Obviously Russian money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn't have a smell of Ukrainian blood. Right, Mr Bach? added the presidential aide, referring to IOC president Thomas Bach. #IOC is a promoter of war, murder & destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure RF destroying 🇺🇦 & then offers 🇷🇺 a platform to promote genocide & encourages their further killings. Obviously ru-money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn’t have a smell of 🇺🇦 blood. Right, Mr. #Bach? — Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 30, 2023 × Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publically batted for no Russian athlete to be allowed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "We must be sure that Russia will not be able to use it (the Olympics) or any other international sporting event to promote aggression or its state chauvinism." Read more: Russian athletes should not compete at 2024 Paris Olympics: Zelensky tells Macron Ukraine's sports minister has already issued a warning that his country and its athletes will boycott the 2024 Olympics if IOC continues to entertain the Russians. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Paris Olympics: Over 30 Countries write to IOC demanding clarity on allowing Russian, Belarusian athletes

Ukrainian&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;player Elina Svitolina called on Wednesday for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to Moscow's invasion of her country, hours after Latvia joined Kyiv's threats of a boycott. Ukraine's sports minister said on Tuesday that his country was seeking to secure widespread international support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics because of the war.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in Paris. Athletes from Russia and Belarus, which aided President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago, have been largely banned from international competitions since. Moscow says it is defending its own security and denies accusations of widespread atrocities in Ukraine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/japanese-football-star-to-join-this-portuguese-club-aged-55-558173">Japanese football star to join this Portuguese club aged 55</a>

Latvia's National Olympic Committee (NOC) said in a statement on Wednesday that participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic Games under any flag was unacceptable as long as the war was ongoing. 
 
"The Olympics are the biggest dream and ultimate privilege for athletes. They are the largest platform for inclusion and diversity in sports, capturing the attention of the world," Svitolina said in a statement on Twitter. "With this in mind we must stick to banning Russian and Belarusian athletes... that we are united in the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus and that there are consequences for the heinous acts of their governments. 
 
"Their lives cannot continue as normal and the world, nor the Russian and Belarusian people, can be ignorant of the atrocities they are committing in Ukraine."

Svitolina, married to fellow&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;player Gael Monfils, reached her career-high ranking of world number three in 2017 and has not played since giving birth to her first child last year. 
 
&nbsp;

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Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina called on Wednesday for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to Moscow's invasion of her country, hours after Latvia joined Kyiv's threats of a boycott.

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina called on Wednesday for Russian and Belarusian athletes to be banned from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris due to Moscow's invasion of her country, hours after Latvia joined Kyiv's threats of a boycott. Ukraine's sports minister said on Tuesday that his country was seeking to secure widespread international support for banning Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics because of the war. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened the door for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in Paris. Athletes from Russia and Belarus, which aided President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago, have been largely banned from international competitions since. Moscow says it is defending its own security and denies accusations of widespread atrocities in Ukraine. Also read: Japanese football star to join this Portuguese club aged 55 Latvia's National Olympic Committee (NOC) said in a statement on Wednesday that participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Olympic Games under any flag was unacceptable as long as the war was ongoing. "The Olympics are the biggest dream and ultimate privilege for athletes. They are the largest platform for inclusion and diversity in sports, capturing the attention of the world," Svitolina said in a statement on Twitter. "With this in mind we must stick to banning Russian and Belarusian athletes... that we are united in the sanctions imposed against Russia and Belarus and that there are consequences for the heinous acts of their governments. "Their lives cannot continue as normal and the world, nor the Russian and Belarusian people, can be ignorant of the atrocities they are committing in Ukraine." Svitolina, married to fellow tennis player Gael Monfils, reached her career-high ranking of world number three in 2017 and has not played since giving birth to her first child last year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Paris Olympics: Ukraine's Elina Svitolina calls for ban on Russians and Belarusians

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, saying its Russian-led world body showed it had "no real interest" in the sport or its athletes. The International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the IOC.

Qualifying for the Paris 2024 boxing tournament is being organised by the IOC but it said that concerns regarding the IBA mean it will take further decisions that "may have to include the cancellation of boxing for the Olympic Games Paris 2024".

An IOC spokesperson said: "The recent IBA Congress has shown once more that IBA has no real interest in the sport of boxing and the boxers, but is only interested in its own power.

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"The decisions and discussions to keep boxers away from the Olympic qualifiers and the Olympic Games cannot be understood differently."

The IBA is run by Russian Umar Kremlev with backing from Russian energy firm Gazprom. The IOC spokesperson said the IBA extending its deal with Gazprom recently showed it had "no will to understand the real issues.

"The extension of the sponsorship contract with Gazprom as sole main sponsor of IBA reinforces the concerns, which the IOC has expressed since 2019 over and over again," the spokesperson added.

"This announcement confirms that IBA will continue to depend on a company largely controlled by the Russian government."

An extraordinary IBA congress in September voted against holding a new election, allowing Kremlev to remain as president, after a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that Dutch candidate Boris van der Vorst was wrongly prevented from standing.

The spokesperson said the IOC's concerns included the handling of the CAS decision.

"The IOC will have to take all this into consideration when it takes further decisions, which may -- after these latest developments -- have to include the cancellation of boxing for the Olympic Games Paris 2024."

IBA replied on Friday with a message to what the organisation referred to as the boxing family, saying they will continue to fight for its athletes to compete in the Olympics.

"It is clear, that the persecution of IBA athletes will continue until ultimate control of boxing and its leadership has been achieved," IBA said in a statement.

"The discrimination against you and IBA’s leadership and partners based on citizenship, directly contradicts the Olympic Charter, and only highlights the issue of athletes and sport being manipulated for geopolitical purposes.

"With that said, with the threat of Boxing being removed from the Paris 2024 programme, IBA will continue to reach out to the senior leadership of the IOC to work towards a de-escalation of this current development and with a view to LA 2028."

Earlier this month, the IBA accused Olympic organisers of "persecution" in response to its suspension over governance and finance issues.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, saying its Russian-led world body showed it had "no real interest" in the sport or its athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, saying its Russian-led world body showed it had "no real interest" in the sport or its athletes. The International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the IOC. Qualifying for the Paris 2024 boxing tournament is being organised by the IOC but it said that concerns regarding the IBA mean it will take further decisions that "may have to include the cancellation of boxing for the Olympic Games Paris 2024". An IOC spokesperson said: "The recent IBA Congress has shown once more that IBA has no real interest in the sport of boxing and the boxers, but is only interested in its own power. ALSO READ: YouTube TV win rights to broadcast NFL matches in USA in 2023 "The decisions and discussions to keep boxers away from the Olympic qualifiers and the Olympic Games cannot be understood differently." The IBA is run by Russian Umar Kremlev with backing from Russian energy firm Gazprom. The IOC spokesperson said the IBA extending its deal with Gazprom recently showed it had "no will to understand the real issues. "The extension of the sponsorship contract with Gazprom as sole main sponsor of IBA reinforces the concerns, which the IOC has expressed since 2019 over and over again," the spokesperson added. "This announcement confirms that IBA will continue to depend on a company largely controlled by the Russian government." An extraordinary IBA congress in September voted against holding a new election, allowing Kremlev to remain as president, after a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that Dutch candidate Boris van der Vorst was wrongly prevented from standing. The spokesperson said the IOC's concerns included the handling of the CAS decision. "The IOC will have to take all this into consideration when it takes further decisions, which may -- after these latest developments -- have to include the cancellation of boxing for the Olympic Games Paris 2024." IBA replied on Friday with a message to what the organisation referred to as the boxing family, saying they will continue to fight for its athletes to compete in the Olympics. "It is clear, that the persecution of IBA athletes will continue until ultimate control of boxing and its leadership has been achieved," IBA said in a statement. "The discrimination against you and IBA’s leadership and partners based on citizenship, directly contradicts the Olympic Charter, and only highlights the issue of athletes and sport being manipulated for geopolitical purposes. "With that said, with the threat of Boxing being removed from the Paris 2024 programme, IBA will continue to reach out to the senior leadership of the IOC to work towards a de-escalation of this current development and with a view to LA 2028." Earlier this month, the IBA accused Olympic organisers of "persecution" in response to its suspension over governance and finance issues.

Boxing is on verge of getting excluded from 2024 Paris Olympics, hints IOC

Indian teenager Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, created history in the Egyptian capital Cairo, pulling off a dramatic 17-15 victory over Italy`s Danilo Dennis Sollazzo in the gold medal match and has been crowned World Champion in the Men`s 10m Air Rifle, an Olympic event. The 18-year-old also emulated Abhinav Bindra, India`s first individual Olympic gold medallist, as a world champion in Men`s Air Rifle. Bindra had won the crown in the same event in Zagreb in 2006. A National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) release said the Thane boy shot astoundingly well throughout competition day two of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship Rifle/Pistol at the Egypt International Olympic City (EIOC) shooting range, to not only win the biggest prize of his life till date but also a Paris 2024 Olympics quota for his country.

It was India`s second Paris quota in the sport of Shooting after Bhowneesh Mendiratta had won the first in the Men`s Trap at the Shotgun World Championships in Osijek, Croatia, which preceded the Cairo World Championships for Rifle and Pistol. Silver medallist at the Junior World Championships in Lima last year and a gold medallist at the Junior World Cup in Suhl earlier this year, this was Rudrankksh`s first medal at the senior level. He had broken through to the senior squad in the beginning of the year and had registered seventh and 11th-place finishes in the Baku and Cairo World Cups earlier.

Rudrankksh was detailed in the second qualification relay on the day and when he took his start, teammate Kiran Ankush Jadhav of the Indian Navy had already logged an impressive 630.6 in the first relay to lie third. With the top eight making it to the next ranking round, Rudrankksh sizzled with a 633.9 to top the high-quality field of 114 shooters. Among those whom he left behind on the day were legends like Yang Haoran (double Olympic gold and double world champion) of China, reigning Olympic champion William Shanner of the USA, Chinese teenager and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Lihao Sheng of China and Olympic medallists SerhiyKulhish of Ukraine and Alexis Raynaud of France. Also left behind was teammate Arjun Babuta, who shot 625.3 to finish in 22nd place.In the 25-shot ranking round broken down into five series of five shots each, Rudrankksh had a steady start moving up to fourth place after 10 shots with a score of 104.2. Compatriot Kiran Jadhav, who had also made it to the top eight with a sixth-place finish overall in qualification, bowed out at this stage in eighth place along with Raynaud, who finished seventh.He shot into the lead after the third series of shots logging 157 to be 0.1 ahead of Italian Sollazzo and 0.7 ahead of Yang Haoran as the fifth and sixth-place shooters bowed out, assuring India of a Paris quota place.

Patil continued to shine and a 10.8 for his 19th and a 10.3 for the 10th meant that he kept the lead after the fourth series as well. It was now 0.3 over the Italian and a full point ahead of Lihao Sheng who had caught up on countryman Haoran. The Italian however had a strong final series and wrested the lead from the Indian at the end of it, but Rudrankksh still made it to the gold round, finishing 0.1 ahead of Lihao, who settled for bronze. Rudrankksh finished with 261.9 to Sollazzo`s 262.7. The gold medal match then turned out to be a dogfight. The two shooters shoot a single shot each and the winner is awarded two points while an equal score means they split a point each. The first to 16 points wins.

Rudrankksh and Danilo split points thrice in the shoot-out including in the first two rounds. Then at one point, the Italian was 8-4 ahead, then 10-6 and then 13-9, but Rudrankksh was never letting him go out of sight. After winning a close round to narrow the gap to 11-13, Rudrankksh shot a 10.8 in the next to Danilo`s 10.7 and the scores were level 13-13. There was no stopping Rudrankksh on the day as he fired 10.7 and 10.5 in the next two to Danilo`s 10.4 and 10.2 and climb to the top of the Men`s 10m Air Rifle world at the age of 18. India`s juniors continued to impress as Udhayveer Sidhu and Esha Singh finished on top of the pile after the first qualification round of their 25m Pistol Men and Women Junior events. Udhayveer shot 290 in the first Precision round while Esha shot 294.

In the Junior Men`s 25m Pistol, among the other Indians, UnishHolinder was lying 13th with 282 while Sameer logged 280 to lie 19th. Also in the Junior Women`s competition, Naamya Kapoor shot 283 to be in 18th spot, Vibhuti Bhatia 280 to be 21st, Khushi Kapoor 279 to be 24th and Divanshi shot 278 to lie in 25th position. In the 50m Rifle Prone Mixed Team Junior competition, the pair of Nishchaland Surya Pratap Singh went down 6-16 in a bronze medal match to USA`s Katie Zaun and Rylan Kissell.

They had on Thursday earned qualification to the match, by virtue of finishing fourth in stage two of qualification, with a score of 411.2. The second Indian pair of Nupur Kumrawat and Pankaj Mukheja bowed out in eighth place at that stage after coming through stage one along with their compatriots.In the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men Junior, India`s Sartaj Tiwana finished seventh with a score of 580 to qualify for the ranking round. Pankaj Mukheja and Surya Pratap Singh were 13th and 28th with scores of 577 and 570 respectively.

Indian teenager Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, created history in the Egyptian capital Cairo, pulling off a dramatic 17-15 victory over Italy`s Danilo Dennis Sollazzo in the gold medal match and has been crowned World Champion in the Men`s 10m Air Rifle, an Olympic event.

Indian teenager Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, created history in the Egyptian capital Cairo, pulling off a dramatic 17-15 victory over Italy`s Danilo Dennis Sollazzo in the gold medal match and has been crowned World Champion in the Men`s 10m Air Rifle, an Olympic event. The 18-year-old also emulated Abhinav Bindra, India`s first individual Olympic gold medallist, as a world champion in Men`s Air Rifle. Bindra had won the crown in the same event in Zagreb in 2006. A National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) release said the Thane boy shot astoundingly well throughout competition day two of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championship Rifle/Pistol at the Egypt International Olympic City (EIOC) shooting range, to not only win the biggest prize of his life till date but also a Paris 2024 Olympics quota for his country. It was India`s second Paris quota in the sport of Shooting after Bhowneesh Mendiratta had won the first in the Men`s Trap at the Shotgun World Championships in Osijek, Croatia, which preceded the Cairo World Championships for Rifle and Pistol. Silver medallist at the Junior World Championships in Lima last year and a gold medallist at the Junior World Cup in Suhl earlier this year, this was Rudrankksh`s first medal at the senior level. He had broken through to the senior squad in the beginning of the year and had registered seventh and 11th-place finishes in the Baku and Cairo World Cups earlier. Rudrankksh was detailed in the second qualification relay on the day and when he took his start, teammate Kiran Ankush Jadhav of the Indian Navy had already logged an impressive 630.6 in the first relay to lie third. With the top eight making it to the next ranking round, Rudrankksh sizzled with a 633.9 to top the high-quality field of 114 shooters. Among those whom he left behind on the day were legends like Yang Haoran (double Olympic gold and double world champion) of China, reigning Olympic champion William Shanner of the USA, Chinese teenager and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Lihao Sheng of China and Olympic medallists SerhiyKulhish of Ukraine and Alexis Raynaud of France. Also left behind was teammate Arjun Babuta, who shot 625.3 to finish in 22nd place.In the 25-shot ranking round broken down into five series of five shots each, Rudrankksh had a steady start moving up to fourth place after 10 shots with a score of 104.2. Compatriot Kiran Jadhav, who had also made it to the top eight with a sixth-place finish overall in qualification, bowed out at this stage in eighth place along with Raynaud, who finished seventh.He shot into the lead after the third series of shots logging 157 to be 0.1 ahead of Italian Sollazzo and 0.7 ahead of Yang Haoran as the fifth and sixth-place shooters bowed out, assuring India of a Paris quota place. Patil continued to shine and a 10.8 for his 19th and a 10.3 for the 10th meant that he kept the lead after the fourth series as well. It was now 0.3 over the Italian and a full point ahead of Lihao Sheng who had caught up on countryman Haoran. The Italian however had a strong final series and wrested the lead from the Indian at the end of it, but Rudrankksh still made it to the gold round, finishing 0.1 ahead of Lihao, who settled for bronze. Rudrankksh finished with 261.9 to Sollazzo`s 262.7. The gold medal match then turned out to be a dogfight. The two shooters shoot a single shot each and the winner is awarded two points while an equal score means they split a point each. The first to 16 points wins. Rudrankksh and Danilo split points thrice in the shoot-out including in the first two rounds. Then at one point, the Italian was 8-4 ahead, then 10-6 and then 13-9, but Rudrankksh was never letting him go out of sight. After winning a close round to narrow the gap to 11-13, Rudrankksh shot a 10.8 in the next to Danilo`s 10.7 and the scores were level 13-13. There was no stopping Rudrankksh on the day as he fired 10.7 and 10.5 in the next two to Danilo`s 10.4 and 10.2 and climb to the top of the Men`s 10m Air Rifle world at the age of 18. India`s juniors continued to impress as Udhayveer Sidhu and Esha Singh finished on top of the pile after the first qualification round of their 25m Pistol Men and Women Junior events. Udhayveer shot 290 in the first Precision round while Esha shot 294. In the Junior Men`s 25m Pistol, among the other Indians, UnishHolinder was lying 13th with 282 while Sameer logged 280 to lie 19th. Also in the Junior Women`s competition, Naamya Kapoor shot 283 to be in 18th spot, Vibhuti Bhatia 280 to be 21st, Khushi Kapoor 279 to be 24th and Divanshi shot 278 to lie in 25th position. In the 50m Rifle Prone Mixed Team Junior competition, the pair of Nishchaland Surya Pratap Singh went down 6-16 in a bronze medal match to USA`s Katie Zaun and Rylan Kissell. They had on Thursday earned qualification to the match, by virtue of finishing fourth in stage two of qualification, with a score of 411.2. The second Indian pair of Nupur Kumrawat and Pankaj Mukheja bowed out in eighth place at that stage after coming through stage one along with their compatriots.In the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men Junior, India`s Sartaj Tiwana finished seventh with a score of 580 to qualify for the ranking round. Pankaj Mukheja and Surya Pratap Singh were 13th and 28th with scores of 577 and 570 respectively.

ISSF World C'ship: Indian teenager Rudrankksh Patil wins 10m air rifle gold, books quota for Paris Olympics

Only two years are left for the Paris Olympics to kick off, but there are already widespread concerns over security, financial, venue and staffing concerns. The top government officials are particularly concerned about the security situation ever since the chaotic scenes unfolded at the Stade de France during the Champions League final.

The aftermath of the Liverpool and Real Madrid threw up some chaotic scenes which, according to a French government report last month, highlighted multiple failures in the management of the crowd, inadequate communications between public transport operators and police, and a lack of suitable routes to the ground.

The Guardian, quoting a report from French newspaper Le Monde, has reported that the unique security challenge of the opening Olympics ceremony is already giving organisers “cold sweats”.

A former police chief said the security problems were “far from resolved”, describing it as “a dangerous moment”.

According to Le Journal du Dimanche, another French newspaper, security provisions for the ceremony include police divers, mine clearance teams, special forces on standby and “a particular effort around control of the city’s airspace to preclude drone attacks”.

A 1976 Olympic gold medallist and a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1996, Guy Drut, criticised the ceremony as unnecessarily risky.

“The idea is great…But in today’s climate, there are just too many uncertainties. Why isn’t there a plan B?” he told the newspaper.

“We could have the same ceremony, watched by more people, on the Champ de Mars [near the Eiffel Tower]. That would be easier to keep safe.”

However, French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has asserted that “lessons have been learned” from the fiasco and insisted that Olympic crowd management issues are “very different from those of a football match.”

Security is not the only reason the organisers are having nightmares about. Russia’s war in Ukraine has led to shortages of essential building supplies for the Olympic village while spiralling inflation threatens to derail the event’s €8bn budget – already nearly €2bn more than the 2015 bid estimate of €6.2bn, reports The Guardian.

According to the report, a confidential audit note circulated last week and seen by the public broadcaster France Info warned of a significant risk for budget overruns, saying “strong, difficult and bold decisions” would need to be taken this autumn to rein in the cost of the Games.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Only two years are left for the Paris Olympics to kick off, but there are already widespread concerns over security, financial, venue and staffing concerns. The top government officials are particularly concerned about the security situation ever since the chaotic scenes unfolded at the Stade de France during the Champions League final.

Only two years are left for the Paris Olympics to kick off, but there are already widespread concerns over security, financial, venue and staffing concerns. The top government officials are particularly concerned about the security situation ever since the chaotic scenes unfolded at the Stade de France during the Champions League final. The aftermath of the Liverpool and Real Madrid threw up some chaotic scenes which, according to a French government report last month, highlighted multiple failures in the management of the crowd, inadequate communications between public transport operators and police, and a lack of suitable routes to the ground. The Guardian, quoting a report from French newspaper Le Monde, has reported that the unique security challenge of the opening Olympics ceremony is already giving organisers “cold sweats”. A former police chief said the security problems were “far from resolved”, describing it as “a dangerous moment”. According to Le Journal du Dimanche, another French newspaper, security provisions for the ceremony include police divers, mine clearance teams, special forces on standby and “a particular effort around control of the city’s airspace to preclude drone attacks”. A 1976 Olympic gold medallist and a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1996, Guy Drut, criticised the ceremony as unnecessarily risky. “The idea is great…But in today’s climate, there are just too many uncertainties. Why isn’t there a plan B?” he told the newspaper. “We could have the same ceremony, watched by more people, on the Champ de Mars [near the Eiffel Tower]. That would be easier to keep safe.” However, French interior minister Gerald Darmanin has asserted that “lessons have been learned” from the fiasco and insisted that Olympic crowd management issues are “very different from those of a football match.” Security is not the only reason the organisers are having nightmares about. Russia’s war in Ukraine has led to shortages of essential building supplies for the Olympic village while spiralling inflation threatens to derail the event’s €8bn budget – already nearly €2bn more than the 2015 bid estimate of €6.2bn, reports The Guardian. According to the report, a confidential audit note circulated last week and seen by the public broadcaster France Info warned of a significant risk for budget overruns, saying “strong, difficult and bold decisions” would need to be taken this autumn to rein in the cost of the Games. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

With only two years left for Paris Olympics, security and cost overrun fears loom large

Mark England will be Chef de Mission for the British Olympic team for the third consecutive Games at Paris 2024, the BOA announced on Thursday.

England, who led the British team at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics where the nation secured a combined 131 medals, is only the fifth person to serve at three Games.

"There remains no greater honour than being asked to lead Team GB as Chef de Mission at the Olympic Games," he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-england-open-pv-sindhu-saina-nehwal-win-over-their-respective-opponents-to-enter-second-round-463207">All England Open: PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal enter second round with respective wins</a>

Paris 2024 will be an incredible Games for Team GB and the British public can look forward to another wonderful summer of sporting achievement from the country's finest athletes."

England, awarded an OBE for his services to Olympic sport in 2016, oversaw a 374-strong athlete delegation in Tokyo last year and was praised for ensuring it was entirely COVID 19-free.

Mark England will be Chef de Mission for the British Olympic team for the third consecutive Games at Paris 2024, the BOA announced on Thursday. England, who led the British team at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics where the nation secured a combined 131 medals, is only the fifth person to serve at three Games.

Mark England will be Chef de Mission for the British Olympic team for the third consecutive Games at Paris 2024, the BOA announced on Thursday. England, who led the British team at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics where the nation secured a combined 131 medals, is only the fifth person to serve at three Games. "There remains no greater honour than being asked to lead Team GB as Chef de Mission at the Olympic Games," he said. ALSO READ: All England Open: PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal enter second round with respective wins Paris 2024 will be an incredible Games for Team GB and the British public can look forward to another wonderful summer of sporting achievement from the country's finest athletes." England, awarded an OBE for his services to Olympic sport in 2016, oversaw a 374-strong athlete delegation in Tokyo last year and was praised for ensuring it was entirely COVID 19-free.

Paris 2024: Mark England named Chef de Mission for British Olympic team for third consecutive Games

Thousands of Olympic athletes on boats cruising along the River Seine toward the sun setting like a giant gold medal behind the Eiffel Tower.

The 2024 Paris Games opening ceremony vision was unveiled on Monday as an event organizers hope will be unique in Olympic history and free for hundreds of thousands to watch on the riverside.

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26-07-2024 
 
Paris, la Seine, ses monuments, ses quais...pour un spectacle unique. 
 
Célébrons le sport dans la ville ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> vous invite à la première cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques au cœur de la ville ! <a href="https://t.co/6drQJijubO">pic.twitter.com/6drQJijubO</a>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wont-go-to-beijing-winter-olympics-2022-but-no-protest-says-austrian-leader-436875">Won't go to Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, but no protest, says Austrian leader</a>

Rethinking the ceremony that announces an Olympics to the world by taking it outside the traditional stadium setting was long hinted at by Paris officials.

Details revealed for the July 26th 2024 show help explain a promise to use the City of Light, its culture and people as essential actors in the Olympics.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/winter-olympics-china-warns-australia-uk-us-for-diplomatic-boycott-says-will-pay-price-for-wrong-acts-435445">Winter Olympics: China warns Australia, UK, US for diplomatic boycott, says 'will pay price for wrong acts'</a>

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Opening Ceremony - COMING SOON <a href="https://t.co/CAdHyiUUNu">pic.twitter.com/CAdHyiUUNu</a>
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Opening Ceremony - COMING SOON <a href="https://t.co/A4O9rTJfZb">pic.twitter.com/A4O9rTJfZb</a>
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paris2024/status/1470440523093712901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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For starters, the water-borne opening ceremony will innovate by having the parade of athletes from more than 200 teams begin the evening instead of end it.

It will also be free to view for most of the expected 600,000 spectators lining the six-kilometer (four-mile) route.&nbsp;

Thousands of Olympic athletes on boats cruising along the River Seine toward the sun setting like a giant gold medal behind the Eiffel Tower. The 2024 Paris Games opening ceremony vision was unveiled on Monday as an event organizers hope will be unique in Olympic history and free for hundreds of thousands to watch on the riverside.

Thousands of Olympic athletes on boats cruising along the River Seine toward the sun setting like a giant gold medal behind the Eiffel Tower. The 2024 Paris Games opening ceremony vision was unveiled on Monday as an event organizers hope will be unique in Olympic history and free for hundreds of thousands to watch on the riverside. 26-07-2024 Paris, la Seine, ses monuments, ses quais...pour un spectacle unique. Célébrons le sport dans la ville ! #Paris2024 vous invite à la première cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques au cœur de la ville ! pic.twitter.com/6drQJijubO — Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) December 14, 2021 × ALSO READ: Won't go to Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, but no protest, says Austrian leader Rethinking the ceremony that announces an Olympics to the world by taking it outside the traditional stadium setting was long hinted at by Paris officials. Details revealed for the July 26th 2024 show help explain a promise to use the City of Light, its culture and people as essential actors in the Olympics. ALSO READ: Winter Olympics: China warns Australia, UK, US for diplomatic boycott, says 'will pay price for wrong acts' 26/07/2024 - #Paris2024 Opening Ceremony - COMING SOON pic.twitter.com/CAdHyiUUNu — Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) December 13, 2021 × 26/07/2024 - #Paris2024 Opening Ceremony - COMING SOON pic.twitter.com/A4O9rTJfZb — Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) December 13, 2021 × For starters, the water-borne opening ceremony will innovate by having the parade of athletes from more than 200 teams begin the evening instead of end it. It will also be free to view for most of the expected 600,000 spectators lining the six-kilometer (four-mile) route.

Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony to be held on the River Seine - WATCH

The world got the&nbsp;first glimpse or can say a short teaser of&nbsp;the Paris Games, which is scheduled to take place in 2024, during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Sunday (August 8). As the spectacular 16-day event concluded after record-shattering performances in Japan's capital, people around the world got to see what they can expect in Paris.&nbsp;

During the closing ceremony, the Olympic flame was extinguished in the cauldron and the flag was passed to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo for the 2024 Games. Thousands of people were gathered in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower to watch the closing ceremony of the pandemic-hit Olympics and celebrate the French capital's status as host of the 2024 showpiece.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/india-among-countries-with-highest-cash-rewards-for-tokyo-olympic-medalists-check-out-the-complete-list-402017">India among countries with highest cash-rewards for Olympic medalists - Check out the complete list</a>&nbsp;

President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach declared the Games closed.

"And now I have to mark the end of this most challenging Olympic journey to Tokyo.&nbsp;I declare the Games of the 32nd Olympiad closed,"&nbsp;he said.

"In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble in Paris, France, in three years' time to celebrate the Games of the 33rd Olympiad," he added.&nbsp;

The focus has now shifted to Paris, where the handover of the flag was celebrated with the flyover by jets from the Patrouille de France (Patrol of France) releasing blue, white and red smoke — forming the French flag in the sky.&nbsp;

Not just that, French President Emmanuel Macron was filmed on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower saying the Olympic slogan "higher, faster, stronger". He also added the word "Together" in it.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/from-ravi-kumar-to-pv-sindhu-indian-athletes-with-mind-boggling-cash-rewards-after-winning-medals-in-tokyo-olympics-india-403367">From Ravi Kumar to PV Sindhu: Indian Athletes get mind-boggling cash rewards after winning medals in Tokyo Olympic</a>

Watch the video here:

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WHAT. A. DAY. 
QUELLE JOURNÉE.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/j0ACEOX6oI">pic.twitter.com/j0ACEOX6oI</a>
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Can’t wait <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/olympicgames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#olympicgames</a> lovely <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/patrouilledefrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#patrouilledefrance</a> today in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris</a> <a href="https://t.co/0dBE88Z65S">pic.twitter.com/0dBE88Z65S</a>
— Stefrenq (@stefrenq) <a href="https://twitter.com/stefrenq/status/1424424277646970880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Patrouille de France (French Air Force) flies over the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> closing/turnover event held in Paris. 
 
They leave a smoke trail with the colors of the French flag 🇫🇷 to celebrate the games coming to Paris in 2024. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rapplerdotcom</a> <a href="https://t.co/GvvJv1Syt4">pic.twitter.com/GvvJv1Syt4</a>
— Nile Villa (@in_thenile) <a href="https://twitter.com/in_thenile/status/1424421321690189825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Waouh again! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/patrouilledefrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#patrouilledefrance</a> ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/PAFofficiel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PAFofficiel</a>⁩ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/avgeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#avgeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/UBxsPJ99Yj">pic.twitter.com/UBxsPJ99Yj</a>
— Franck MARCEAU (@franck_marceau) <a href="https://twitter.com/franck_marceau/status/1424356845234364416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/biles-belarus-and-sports-drama-here-are-some-key-moments-of-tokyo-olympics-2020-404131">Biles, Belarus and sports drama: Here are some key moments of Tokyo Olympics 2020</a>

French judo star Teddy Riner, who competed in Japan,&nbsp;was "emotional" as he said, "On an emotional level, it made me think of the 2012 and 2016 Olympics when a whole stadium is with you and cheering you on, it's very heartwarming."

Athletes who had taken part in the Tokyo Games were cheered by the crowds as thoughts turned to 2024.

"I missed most of the Olympics because I worked at night, so it's nice to see the best moments again," said 22-year-old Alix as highlights of the last two weeks were replayed on a giant TV screen.

"It's heartwarming to see the public, we have just gone through an Olympics which was a little different," admitted gymnast Samir Ait Said who carried the French flag at the opening ceremony on July 23.

"It boosts my soul ten times, I'm injured and I already want to go and train!"

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Enfin une éclaircie sur Paris ⛅️ ! Ça se fête <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/patrouilledefrance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#patrouilledefrance</a> <a href="https://t.co/OJbNZDBnzI">pic.twitter.com/OJbNZDBnzI</a>
— Jeremy GUYOT (@JeremyGUYOT) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyGUYOT/status/1424364344909910017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Swimmer Florent Manaudou, a silver medallist in the 50m freestyle, predicted that the 2024 Games will be an iconic moment for the country.

"We feel that the fans are celebrating and that they are gradually preparing to experience the Games in three years here."&nbsp;

Decathlon silver medallist Kevin Mayer said he was delighted to "see all these little kids with stars in their eyes".

"It reminds me of myself when I was little."

Head of the 2024 organising committee, Tony Estanguet said the Games are on schedule.&nbsp;

"For the moment, all the indicators are green," he said.

(with inputs from agencies)

The world got the first glimpse or can say a short teaser of the Paris Games, which is scheduled to take place in 2024, during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Sunday (August 8).

The world got the first glimpse or can say a short teaser of the Paris Games, which is scheduled to take place in 2024, during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Sunday (August 8). As the spectacular 16-day event concluded after record-shattering performances in Japan's capital, people around the world got to see what they can expect in Paris. During the closing ceremony, the Olympic flame was extinguished in the cauldron and the flag was passed to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo for the 2024 Games. Thousands of people were gathered in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower to watch the closing ceremony of the pandemic-hit Olympics and celebrate the French capital's status as host of the 2024 showpiece. IN PICS | India among countries with highest cash-rewards for Olympic medalists - Check out the complete list President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach declared the Games closed. "And now I have to mark the end of this most challenging Olympic journey to Tokyo. I declare the Games of the 32nd Olympiad closed," he said. "In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble in Paris, France, in three years' time to celebrate the Games of the 33rd Olympiad," he added. The focus has now shifted to Paris, where the handover of the flag was celebrated with the flyover by jets from the Patrouille de France (Patrol of France) releasing blue, white and red smoke — forming the French flag in the sky. Not just that, French President Emmanuel Macron was filmed on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower saying the Olympic slogan "higher, faster, stronger". He also added the word "Together" in it. IN PICS | From Ravi Kumar to PV Sindhu: Indian Athletes get mind-boggling cash rewards after winning medals in Tokyo Olympic Watch the video here: WHAT. A. DAY. QUELLE JOURNÉE.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/j0ACEOX6oI — Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) August 8, 2021 × Can’t wait #Paris2024 #olympicgames lovely #patrouilledefrance today in #Paris pic.twitter.com/0dBE88Z65S — Stefrenq (@stefrenq) August 8, 2021 × The Patrouille de France (French Air Force) flies over the #Olympics closing/turnover event held in Paris. They leave a smoke trail with the colors of the French flag 🇫🇷 to celebrate the games coming to Paris in 2024. #Paris2024 @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/GvvJv1Syt4 — Nile Villa (@in_thenile) August 8, 2021 × Waouh again! #patrouilledefrance ⁦@PAFofficiel⁩ #paris2024 #avgeek pic.twitter.com/UBxsPJ99Yj — Franck MARCEAU (@franck_marceau) August 8, 2021 × IN PICS | Biles, Belarus and sports drama: Here are some key moments of Tokyo Olympics 2020 French judo star Teddy Riner, who competed in Japan, was "emotional" as he said, "On an emotional level, it made me think of the 2012 and 2016 Olympics when a whole stadium is with you and cheering you on, it's very heartwarming." Athletes who had taken part in the Tokyo Games were cheered by the crowds as thoughts turned to 2024. "I missed most of the Olympics because I worked at night, so it's nice to see the best moments again," said 22-year-old Alix as highlights of the last two weeks were replayed on a giant TV screen. "It's heartwarming to see the public, we have just gone through an Olympics which was a little different," admitted gymnast Samir Ait Said who carried the French flag at the opening ceremony on July 23. "It boosts my soul ten times, I'm injured and I already want to go and train!" Enfin une éclaircie sur Paris ⛅️ ! Ça se fête #patrouilledefrance pic.twitter.com/OJbNZDBnzI — Jeremy GUYOT (@JeremyGUYOT) August 8, 2021 × Swimmer Florent Manaudou, a silver medallist in the 50m freestyle, predicted that the 2024 Games will be an iconic moment for the country. "We feel that the fans are celebrating and that they are gradually preparing to experience the Games in three years here." Decathlon silver medallist Kevin Mayer said he was delighted to "see all these little kids with stars in their eyes". "It reminds me of myself when I was little." Head of the 2024 organising committee, Tony Estanguet said the Games are on schedule. "For the moment, all the indicators are green," he said. (with inputs from agencies)

As 'most challenging' Tokyo Olympics concludes, Paris teases 2024 Games: Watch

Breakdancing has become Olympic sport after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that four new sports have made it to the 2024 Paris Olympics with breakdancing being one of them.

Breakdance will make Olympic debut at 2024 Paris Games

Breakdancing was one of four new sports along with skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing to get the Olympic green light on Monday for inclusion at the 2024 Paris Games.

The four sports were included as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board met to confirm the Paris 2024 programme.

Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will take place in 2021 after being postponed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The introduction of breaking was "one of the results of the Olympic Agenda 2020", Bach said. "We had a clear priority to introduce sports (that are) particularly popular among the younger generation and taking into consideration the urbanisation of sport."

Breakdancing, which grew up alongside hip hop in the South Bronx of New York in the 1970s and is officially known in sport terms as "breaking", appeared at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, in the form of head-to-head "battles".

Russia's Sergei Chernyshev, competing under the nickname Bumblebee, won the first breakdancing gold medal for boys in that event, while Japan's Ramu Kawai won the girls' title.

"Today is a historic occasion not only for b-boys and b-girls but for all dancers around the world," said Shawn Tay, president of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF).

"The WDSF could not be prouder to have breaking included at Paris 2024... It was a true team effort to get to this moment and we will redouble our efforts in the lead-up to the Olympic Games to make sure the breaking competition at Paris 2024 will be unforgettable."

<h2>- Paris podiums down to 329 -</h2>

Federations of sports that already have Olympic status were left disappointed in their bid to increase events within their sports as IOC president Thomas Bach said that none of the proposed 41 events would be included in Paris.

While some sports substituted in some events within their existing event numbers, Bach said medal events had actually gone down from 339 to 329.

He said the athletes' quota for Paris had been fixed at 10,500, including those participating in the four new sports.

That represents a decrease of 600 from Tokyo Games, while gender equality would be attained for the first time in Olympic history in Paris.

The question of gender equality led to the demise of the men's 50km race walk, which first appeared at the 1932 Olympics.&nbsp;

IOC sports director Kit McConnell said the event would be replaced by a "mixed gender event".

There was a decision to "reach gender equality by removing the men's 50km race walk", rather than introducing a women's version, McConnell said, adding that the men and women's 20km race walks would remain.

The replacement event will not, however, be a mixed cross-country, which World Athletics had been pushing hard for.

"The event had to fit into an existing Olympic venue," McConnell said, explaining that a potential re-fit of the equestrian or mountain-bike venues to accommodate a cross-country was shown to be "too expensive and complex".

Breakdancing was one of four new sports along with skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing to get the Olympic green light on Monday for inclusion at the 2024 Paris Games.

Breakdancing was one of four new sports along with skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing to get the Olympic green light on Monday for inclusion at the 2024 Paris Games. The four sports were included as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board met to confirm the Paris 2024 programme. Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which will take place in 2021 after being postponed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The introduction of breaking was "one of the results of the Olympic Agenda 2020", Bach said. "We had a clear priority to introduce sports (that are) particularly popular among the younger generation and taking into consideration the urbanisation of sport." Breakdancing, which grew up alongside hip hop in the South Bronx of New York in the 1970s and is officially known in sport terms as "breaking", appeared at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, in the form of head-to-head "battles". Russia's Sergei Chernyshev, competing under the nickname Bumblebee, won the first breakdancing gold medal for boys in that event, while Japan's Ramu Kawai won the girls' title. "Today is a historic occasion not only for b-boys and b-girls but for all dancers around the world," said Shawn Tay, president of the World Dance Sport Federation (WDSF). "The WDSF could not be prouder to have breaking included at Paris 2024... It was a true team effort to get to this moment and we will redouble our efforts in the lead-up to the Olympic Games to make sure the breaking competition at Paris 2024 will be unforgettable." - Paris podiums down to 329 - Federations of sports that already have Olympic status were left disappointed in their bid to increase events within their sports as IOC president Thomas Bach said that none of the proposed 41 events would be included in Paris. While some sports substituted in some events within their existing event numbers, Bach said medal events had actually gone down from 339 to 329. He said the athletes' quota for Paris had been fixed at 10,500, including those participating in the four new sports. That represents a decrease of 600 from Tokyo Games, while gender equality would be attained for the first time in Olympic history in Paris. The question of gender equality led to the demise of the men's 50km race walk, which first appeared at the 1932 Olympics. IOC sports director Kit McConnell said the event would be replaced by a "mixed gender event". There was a decision to "reach gender equality by removing the men's 50km race walk", rather than introducing a women's version, McConnell said, adding that the men and women's 20km race walks would remain. The replacement event will not, however, be a mixed cross-country, which World Athletics had been pushing hard for. "The event had to fit into an existing Olympic venue," McConnell said, explaining that a potential re-fit of the equestrian or mountain-bike venues to accommodate a cross-country was shown to be "too expensive and complex".

Breakdancing gets Olympic green light for Paris 2024

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