Due to the war crimes carried out in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin's government, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the Russian flag had no place at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Since the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Russia has been prohibited from flying their flag at the games.

French President Emmanuel Macron says Russian flag can't be at Paris Olympics

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

United States hammer thrower Gwen Berry faces being ruled out of next year's Olympic Games after receiving a 16-month doping suspension, the United States Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday.

Berry, an outspoken social justice advocate who has made repeated podium protests in recent years, tested positive for the banned substance canrenone in an out-of-competition test in March.

USADA said the substance, a metabolite of spironolactone classified as a masking agent, entered Berry's system via a topical medication for which she had a prescription.

However Berry failed to seek a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for the medication, leaving her facing a suspension, USADA said.

It is the second time in Berry's career that she has been banned for an anti-doping violation.&nbsp;

She was suspended for three months in 2016 after using a banned asthma medication.

USADA said her 16-month suspension took effect on April 28, 2023.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-england-australia-docked-points-in-double-digits-for-slow-over-rate-621712">Ashes 2023: England, Australia docked points in double digits for slow over rate</a>

The suspension means she will not be eligible to return to competition until August 28, 2024, ruling her out of next year's Olympics.

Berry, 34, made headlines in 2019 when she raised a fist on the podium after winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima. Berry said the gesture was a protest against "injustice" in America.

That protest earned Berry a reprimand from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with a warning she would face severe consequences if it was repeated.

However US authorities later softened their stance on podium protests in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, which triggered a global outpouring of protests against racial and social injustice.

Berry also protested on the podium at the US Olympic trials in 2021, turning away from the American flag as the national anthem played after a third place finish secured her spot at the Tokyo Games.

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United States hammer thrower Gwen Berry faces being ruled out of next year's Olympic Games after receiving a 16-month doping suspension, the United States Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday.

United States hammer thrower Gwen Berry faces being ruled out of next year's Olympic Games after receiving a 16-month doping suspension, the United States Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday. Berry, an outspoken social justice advocate who has made repeated podium protests in recent years, tested positive for the banned substance canrenone in an out-of-competition test in March. USADA said the substance, a metabolite of spironolactone classified as a masking agent, entered Berry's system via a topical medication for which she had a prescription. However Berry failed to seek a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for the medication, leaving her facing a suspension, USADA said. It is the second time in Berry's career that she has been banned for an anti-doping violation. She was suspended for three months in 2016 after using a banned asthma medication. USADA said her 16-month suspension took effect on April 28, 2023. ALSO READ | Ashes 2023: England, Australia docked points in double digits for slow over rate The suspension means she will not be eligible to return to competition until August 28, 2024, ruling her out of next year's Olympics. Berry, 34, made headlines in 2019 when she raised a fist on the podium after winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima. Berry said the gesture was a protest against "injustice" in America. That protest earned Berry a reprimand from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with a warning she would face severe consequences if it was repeated. However US authorities later softened their stance on podium protests in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, which triggered a global outpouring of protests against racial and social injustice. Berry also protested on the podium at the US Olympic trials in 2021, turning away from the American flag as the national anthem played after a third place finish secured her spot at the Tokyo Games. 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.

US hammer thrower Gwen Berry gets 16-month doping ban; likely to miss Olympic Games

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

Has the IOC cleared the way for Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Paris Olympics? The WION Sports team discusses the ramifications of the IOC's announcement.

Has IOC cleared way for Russian, Belarusian athletes at Paris Olympics? | WION Sports Extra

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 construction of the Olympic athletes village is on time and on budget as organisers promise to deliver safe Games, the general director of Paris 2024 said on Friday (March 24). With little over a year to go for the start of the Paris Olympics, questions regarding Russian athletes and player accommodation have taken center stage.

"Most of my colleagues in the past were stressed about the delivery of the infrastructures. I must say I'm not on that side with Paris 2024. I'm very cool and serene, we will deliver on time and on budget," Thobois said from the top of one of the buildings.

"We will take over the village one year from now. The construction will be finishe in January and it the village will be fully delivered in March."

Some 6,000 will live in the neighbourhood, which spans over the suburban cities of Saint-Ouen, Saint-Denis and L'Ile Saint-Denis.

"The various buildings here are will have a final use that will be different, some will be social housing, some will be private housing, some will be offices, so will be public services," Thobois said.

"And during the Games the use of the building might be different, because we will need as many beds as possible. So, that will mean overlay, that will mean a transformation. It's a bit of an extra work but that's again the guarantee that the legacy will be best addressed."

There will be no air conditioning in the athletes' rooms at Paris 2024, but a cooling system will be used instead. Security, however, has been a hot topic following the 2023 Champions League final debacle and amid tensions over the reform of the pension system.

Thobois said there will be a police station in the village and that the Interior Ministry has launched a programme around petty crimes as well as added security in public transport.

The construction of the Olympic athletes village is on time and on budget as organisers promise to deliver safe Games, the general director of Paris 2024 said on Friday (March 24).

The construction of the Olympic athletes village is on time and on budget as organisers promise to deliver safe Games, the general director of Paris 2024 said on Friday (March 24). With little over a year to go for the start of the Paris Olympics, questions regarding Russian athletes and player accommodation have taken center stage. "Most of my colleagues in the past were stressed about the delivery of the infrastructures. I must say I'm not on that side with Paris 2024. I'm very cool and serene, we will deliver on time and on budget," Thobois said from the top of one of the buildings. "We will take over the village one year from now. The construction will be finishe in January and it the village will be fully delivered in March." Some 6,000 will live in the neighbourhood, which spans over the suburban cities of Saint-Ouen, Saint-Denis and L'Ile Saint-Denis. "The various buildings here are will have a final use that will be different, some will be social housing, some will be private housing, some will be offices, so will be public services," Thobois said. "And during the Games the use of the building might be different, because we will need as many beds as possible. So, that will mean overlay, that will mean a transformation. It's a bit of an extra work but that's again the guarantee that the legacy will be best addressed." There will be no air conditioning in the athletes' rooms at Paris 2024, but a cooling system will be used instead. Security, however, has been a hot topic following the 2023 Champions League final debacle and amid tensions over the reform of the pension system. Thobois said there will be a police station in the village and that the Interior Ministry has launched a programme around petty crimes as well as added security in public transport.

Paris Olympics 2024: Athlete's village delivery will be on time - Organisers

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

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee defended the ticketing system for the 2024 Games, calling the first phase of sales a "success" on Thursday despite complaints about high prices. Around 3.25 million tickets have been sold over the last month, around a third of the total, but the release has been overshadowed by criticism of the costs.

<h3>Tony Estanguet defends decision of ticket pricing</h3>

"It's been a success this first phase, even if we understand the criticism and the frustration of some people who were not satisfied," Tony Estanguet told reporters almost 500 days from the start of the Games.

He defended the strategy of offering a limited number of seats -- one million -- priced at 24 euros ($25), with the majority in a middle category of around 100 euros or lower. A poll published at the weekend found that around four out of five French people thought that tickets were too expensive.

Part of the problem in the first phase was that fans were obliged to buy tickets for at least three different sports, often putting the bill at 300 euros or more per person, or well over a thousand euros for a family of four. The second phase, with sales starting from May 11, will enable buyers to take single tickets, including for some of the highlights including the opening ceremony and the athletics finals.

"This second phase will be an exceptional opportunity for people to buy experiences that will be probably once in a lifetime," Estanguet, a former French canoeing champion and triple Olympic gold medallist, added.

The prices for the hottest tickets are unlikely to mollify critics, however. Athletics finals will start at 125 euros and stretch to 980 euros. Beach volleyball finals will cost a minimum of 100 euros, while the basketball finals range from 90 to 980 euros. Seventy thousand places will go on sale for the hugely ambitious opening ceremony which will see national sporting delegations sail down the river Seine in an open-air celebration in the heart of the City of Light.

"It will be expensive because it will be unique. It will be very spectacular in this iconic city," Estanguet said.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sanjay-manjrekar-plays-down-sri-lankas-ability-to-beat-new-zealand-backs-india-to-reach-wtc-final-570212">Sanjay Manjrekar plays down Sri Lanka's ability to beat New Zealand, backs India to reach WTC final</a></h3>

<h3>Ticket’s already on sale</h3>

The tickets on sale, with a top price of 2,700 euros, will be for seats on the bank of the river, offering an unrestricted view of proceedings. Another 400,000-500,000 free passes will be granted to people wanting to witness the ceremony once the complicated security arrangements for the event have been worked out by French authorities.

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee defended the ticketing system for the 2024 Games, calling the first phase of sales a "success" on Thursday despite complaints about high prices.

The head of the Paris Olympics organising committee defended the ticketing system for the 2024 Games, calling the first phase of sales a "success" on Thursday despite complaints about high prices. Around 3.25 million tickets have been sold over the last month, around a third of the total, but the release has been overshadowed by criticism of the costs. Tony Estanguet defends decision of ticket pricing "It's been a success this first phase, even if we understand the criticism and the frustration of some people who were not satisfied," Tony Estanguet told reporters almost 500 days from the start of the Games. He defended the strategy of offering a limited number of seats -- one million -- priced at 24 euros ($25), with the majority in a middle category of around 100 euros or lower. A poll published at the weekend found that around four out of five French people thought that tickets were too expensive. Part of the problem in the first phase was that fans were obliged to buy tickets for at least three different sports, often putting the bill at 300 euros or more per person, or well over a thousand euros for a family of four. The second phase, with sales starting from May 11, will enable buyers to take single tickets, including for some of the highlights including the opening ceremony and the athletics finals. "This second phase will be an exceptional opportunity for people to buy experiences that will be probably once in a lifetime," Estanguet, a former French canoeing champion and triple Olympic gold medallist, added. The prices for the hottest tickets are unlikely to mollify critics, however. Athletics finals will start at 125 euros and stretch to 980 euros. Beach volleyball finals will cost a minimum of 100 euros, while the basketball finals range from 90 to 980 euros. Seventy thousand places will go on sale for the hugely ambitious opening ceremony which will see national sporting delegations sail down the river Seine in an open-air celebration in the heart of the City of Light. "It will be expensive because it will be unique. It will be very spectacular in this iconic city," Estanguet said. ALSO READ | Sanjay Manjrekar plays down Sri Lanka's ability to beat New Zealand, backs India to reach WTC final Ticket’s already on sale The tickets on sale, with a top price of 2,700 euros, will be for seats on the bank of the river, offering an unrestricted view of proceedings. Another 400,000-500,000 free passes will be granted to people wanting to witness the ceremony once the complicated security arrangements for the event have been worked out by French authorities.

Paris Olympics chief Tony Estanguet defends ticket pricing despite backlash from fans

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

WION examines global issues with in-depth analysis and brings you a quick round-up of all the top headlines and breakings from all across the world.

WION Speed News | Paris Olympics 2024: Zelensky attends meet to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged Ukraine to drop the threats of an Olympic boycott at the Paris Games next year if Russia and Belarus are cleared to compete. Ukraine secure widespread international support for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes after the IOC opened the door for them to compete.

2024 Paris Olympics: International Olympic Committee says 'Ukraine should drop threat of boycott'

The gigantic fire that gulped iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris remains a fresh blister that burns the hearts of history connoisseurs worldwide. But soon, the Cathedral's spire will be back in place by the end of the year, news agency AFP reported. The reopening, however, will not happen before the next year's Paris Olympic Games, the report added.

The reconstruction is still on track for completion by the end of 2024, the French culture ministry told AFP.&nbsp;

"The site is progressing at a good pace," a spokesperson said.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/notre-dame-fire-tragedy-800-years-of-history-partially-lost-211234">Notre Dame fire tragedy: 800 years of history partially lost</a>

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The authorities have previously given December 8 – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – as a likely deadline.&nbsp;

The 12th century cathedral, a famous backdrop to many Hollywood hit films, saw some 12 million annual visitors. But at the current pace of redevelopment, Notre Dame will not be able to welcome the attendees of the Olympic Games scheduled to begin in Paris in July and August 2024.&nbsp;

<h2>Notre-Dame wooden spire to be back soon</h2>

The collapse of the wooden spire was one of the most dramatic moments of the fire of April 15, 2019.&nbsp;

An identical version has been made from the same original materials: 500 tonnes of Oak wood for the structure and 250 tonnes of lead for the cover and ornaments.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-frances-most-visited-monument-notre-dame-cathedral-being-restored-after-being-gutted-by-fire-503832">In Pics: France’s most-visited monument Notre Dame Cathedral being restored after being gutted by fire</a>

There have been health concerns over the lead debris from the fire, and the use of lead in the reconstruction, with French officials having to reassure their European counterparts that adequate safety measures have been taken.&nbsp;

Preparatory work to start reinstalling the spire began this week, with scaffolding put in place and custom-cut base stones delivered along the River Seine.&nbsp;Once completed the spire will reach 100 metres high.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;clean-up work of the cathedral's interior walls – a total of 42,000 m2 – has been completed, along with that of murals, ironwork, joinery, stained glass and sculptures that survived the fire.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The gigantic fire that gulped iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris remains a fresh blister that burns the hearts of history connoisseurs worldwide. But soon, the Cathedral's spire will be back in place by the end of the year, news agency AFP reported.

The gigantic fire that gulped iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris remains a fresh blister that burns the hearts of history connoisseurs worldwide. But soon, the Cathedral's spire will be back in place by the end of the year, news agency AFP reported. The reopening, however, will not happen before the next year's Paris Olympic Games, the report added. The reconstruction is still on track for completion by the end of 2024, the French culture ministry told AFP. "The site is progressing at a good pace," a spokesperson said. ALSO WATCH | Notre Dame fire tragedy: 800 years of history partially lost × The authorities have previously given December 8 – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – as a likely deadline. The 12th century cathedral, a famous backdrop to many Hollywood hit films, saw some 12 million annual visitors. But at the current pace of redevelopment, Notre Dame will not be able to welcome the attendees of the Olympic Games scheduled to begin in Paris in July and August 2024. Notre-Dame wooden spire to be back soon The collapse of the wooden spire was one of the most dramatic moments of the fire of April 15, 2019. An identical version has been made from the same original materials: 500 tonnes of Oak wood for the structure and 250 tonnes of lead for the cover and ornaments. ALSO READ | In Pics: France’s most-visited monument Notre Dame Cathedral being restored after being gutted by fire There have been health concerns over the lead debris from the fire, and the use of lead in the reconstruction, with French officials having to reassure their European counterparts that adequate safety measures have been taken. Preparatory work to start reinstalling the spire began this week, with scaffolding put in place and custom-cut base stones delivered along the River Seine. Once completed the spire will reach 100 metres high. Meanwhile, the clean-up work of the cathedral's interior walls – a total of 42,000 m2 – has been completed, along with that of murals, ironwork, joinery, stained glass and sculptures that survived the fire. (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.

Before Paris 2024, will Notre-Dame stand in glory for Olympic attendees?

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. 
 
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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

Targetting the&nbsp;International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ukrainian president's advisor&nbsp;Mykhaylo Podolyak on Monday slammed the global body for attempting to find ways to allow Russian athletes to compete.&nbsp;Podolyak took to Twitter to post his rant where he referred to the body as 'promoter of war'.&nbsp;

"(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&nbsp;Podolyak.&nbsp;

"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.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IOC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IOC</a> is a promoter of war, murder &amp; destruction. The IOC watches with pleasure RF destroying 🇺🇦 &amp; then offers 🇷🇺 a platform to promote genocide &amp; encourages their further killings. 
Obviously ru-money that buys Olympic hypocrisy doesn’t have a smell of 🇺🇦 blood. Right, Mr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bach?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bach</a>?
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1619972712243544066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The statement by&nbsp;Podolyak comes days after the IOC said athletes could compete in the quadrennial competition as neutrals. The IOC said that&nbsp;"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."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ioc-to-explore-pathway-for-russian-belarusian-athletes-to-compete-in-paris-olympics-556161">Read more:&nbsp;IOC to explore pathway for Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris Olympics</a>

With the next Olympics scheduled to take place in Paris in 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been goading French President Emmanuel Macron to not allow Russians.&nbsp;

"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."

He added that allowing Russians will show 'terror can allegedly be something acceptable. Meanwhile, Ukraine's sports minister threatened that his country and its athletes will boycott the 2024 Olympics if IOC goes ahead with its plan.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/russian-and-belarusian-flags-banned-from-australian-open-after-ukraines-complaint-553391" target="_blank">Read more: Russian and Belarusian flags banned from Australian Open after Ukraine's complaint</a>

After IOC's statement, Russian Olympic Committee president&nbsp;Stanislav Pozdnyakov&nbsp;also chimed in and said 'voice of common sense' had been heard.&nbsp;

“The priority for us remains the same - to secure the rights and interests of our athletes,” said&nbsp;Pozdnyakov.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Targetting the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ukrainian president's advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak on Monday slammed the global body for attempting to find ways to allow Russian athletes to compete.

Targetting the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Ukrainian president's advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak on Monday slammed the global body for attempting to find ways to allow Russian athletes to compete. Podolyak took to Twitter to post his rant where he referred to the body as '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 × The statement by Podolyak comes days after the IOC said athletes could compete in the quadrennial competition as neutrals. The IOC said 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." Read more: IOC to explore pathway for Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris Olympics With the next Olympics scheduled to take place in Paris in 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been goading French President Emmanuel Macron to not allow Russians. "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." He added that allowing Russians will show 'terror can allegedly be something acceptable. Meanwhile, Ukraine's sports minister threatened that his country and its athletes will boycott the 2024 Olympics if IOC goes ahead with its plan. Read more: Russian and Belarusian flags banned from Australian Open after Ukraine's complaint After IOC's statement, Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov also chimed in and said 'voice of common sense' had been heard. “The priority for us remains the same - to secure the rights and interests of our athletes,” said Pozdnyakov. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Promoter of war, murder...': Ukraine slams International Olympic Committee

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (January 24) as Ukraine&nbsp;marked 11 months of war that Russian athletes should have "no place" at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I particularly emphasised that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris," Zelensky wrote on Telegram following a telephone call with Macron.

On February 24, 2022, only a few days after the Beijing Winter Olympics' closing ceremony, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.

The International Olympic Committee promptly imposed sanctions on Russia and neighbouring Belarus, which Moscow's forces used as a base for the invasion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kyrylo-tymoshenko-deputy-head-of-ukraines-presidential-office-resigns-555411">Five regional governors, four deputy ministers dismissed over corruption scandal in Ukraine</a>

Since the start of the war,&nbsp;neither Russia nor Belarus have hosted an international athletic event, and their national anthems are no longer played at significant events.

Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC, stated last year that he would like to see the athletic sanctions extended in 2023 and a strong Ukrainian team in the Olympics in Paris and the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2026.

Also watch |&nbsp;Ukraine Graft Clean-Up: Senior Ukrainian officials step down on graft charges

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Zelensky demanded in December that all Russian athletes be excluded entirely from all international competitions.

Additionally, the Ukrainian president expressed his&nbsp;disagreement with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee's position that Russian and Belarusian athletes might compete in the Paris Games as long as they did not display their national flags.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (January 24) as Ukraine marked 11 months of war that Russian athletes should have "no place" at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (January 24) as Ukraine marked 11 months of war that Russian athletes should have "no place" at the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I particularly emphasised that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris," Zelensky wrote on Telegram following a telephone call with Macron. On February 24, 2022, only a few days after the Beijing Winter Olympics' closing ceremony, Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee promptly imposed sanctions on Russia and neighbouring Belarus, which Moscow's forces used as a base for the invasion. Also read | Five regional governors, four deputy ministers dismissed over corruption scandal in Ukraine Since the start of the war, neither Russia nor Belarus have hosted an international athletic event, and their national anthems are no longer played at significant events. Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC, stated last year that he would like to see the athletic sanctions extended in 2023 and a strong Ukrainian team in the Olympics in Paris and the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2026. Also watch | Ukraine Graft Clean-Up: Senior Ukrainian officials step down on graft charges Zelensky demanded in December that all Russian athletes be excluded entirely from all international competitions. Additionally, the Ukrainian president expressed his disagreement with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee's position that Russian and Belarusian athletes might compete in the Paris Games as long as they did not display their national flags. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russian athletes should not compete at 2024 Paris Olympics: Zelensky tells Macron

2011 100m World Champion Yohan Blake is aiming to end his career at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Blake won two 4x100 relay Gold Medals with the Jamaican team and was part of the Caribbean nation's domination of the sprint events at the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Blake spoke to Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo ahead of the Tata Mumbai Marathon and opened up about the decline in the fortunes of the Jamaican Men's sprint team.

Yohan Blake Exclusive: Meet Usain Bolt's wingman | The 'Beast' speaks to WION

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

The 2023 World Wrestling Championship will offer five quota places for the 2024 Olympics in each of the 18 weight categories instead of six as UWW on Wednesday announced changes to the qualification process for the Paris Games.

The World Championship, set to be held in Russia from September 16-24, will be the first qualifying event for the Paris Games.

Apart from the 2023 World Championship, the continental qualifiers (Asia, Africa, America, European) 2024, and the 2024 World Olympics Qualifiers will also offer quota for the Games.

Earlier, 108 quotas were awarded at the World Championships (six per Olympic weight) but now 90 quota places will be on offer. The first six (6) highest placed athletes in each of the 18 Olympic weight categories at the 2019 Senior World Championships were awarded quotas for the Tokyo Games.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-arshdeep-singh-breathes-fire-takes-3-wickets-in-a-single-over-to-rattle-south-africa-in-1st-t20i-520589">WATCH -&nbsp;Arshdeep Singh breathes fire, takes 3 wickets in a single over to rattle South Africa in 1st T20I</a>

However, only top-5 wrestlers will earn quotas for their countries in Russia. It means that all four medallists (gold, silver and two bronze winners) will secure the quota for their respective nations and the two bronze medal play-offs losers will contest for the fifth spot.

United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic said, the changes are aimed at creating "further fairness in the distribution between the World Championships and the World Qualifier."

A total of 144 wrestlers will qualify for the Paris Games through the continental qualifying events (Asian, African, Pan-American and European). The top two wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will get one spot each for their NOCs.

The quota winners at the 2023 World Championship will not be eligible to participate in the continental qualifiers unless they participate in a different style.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/a-red-storm-is-coming-to-qatar-michael-sheens-inspiring-speech-to-wales-ahead-of-fifa-world-cup-2022-520631">'A red storm is coming to Qatar': Michael Sheen's inspiring speech to Wales ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022</a>

At the World Olympic Qualifiers, three quotas in each Olympic weight class instead of the two previously will be at stake.

Not just the gold and silver medal winners will secure quotas but the bronze medal winners will also get a chance to earn quota. The bronze winners will fight it out for the quota in each of the 18 categories.

Unused quotas due to withdrawal, doping offence, or non-participation, will be transferred to the next best wrestler of that weight category of the tournament.

The deadline for the Olympic Games entries will be July 8, 2024. The wrestling competition will be held from August 4-11. 
&nbsp;

The 2023 World Wrestling Championship will offer five quota places for the 2024 Olympics in each of the 18 weight categories instead of six as UWW on Wednesday announced changes to the qualification process for the Paris Games.

The 2023 World Wrestling Championship will offer five quota places for the 2024 Olympics in each of the 18 weight categories instead of six as UWW on Wednesday announced changes to the qualification process for the Paris Games. The World Championship, set to be held in Russia from September 16-24, will be the first qualifying event for the Paris Games. Apart from the 2023 World Championship, the continental qualifiers (Asia, Africa, America, European) 2024, and the 2024 World Olympics Qualifiers will also offer quota for the Games. Earlier, 108 quotas were awarded at the World Championships (six per Olympic weight) but now 90 quota places will be on offer. The first six (6) highest placed athletes in each of the 18 Olympic weight categories at the 2019 Senior World Championships were awarded quotas for the Tokyo Games. Also Read: WATCH - Arshdeep Singh breathes fire, takes 3 wickets in a single over to rattle South Africa in 1st T20I However, only top-5 wrestlers will earn quotas for their countries in Russia. It means that all four medallists (gold, silver and two bronze winners) will secure the quota for their respective nations and the two bronze medal play-offs losers will contest for the fifth spot. United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic said, the changes are aimed at creating "further fairness in the distribution between the World Championships and the World Qualifier." A total of 144 wrestlers will qualify for the Paris Games through the continental qualifying events (Asian, African, Pan-American and European). The top two wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will get one spot each for their NOCs. The quota winners at the 2023 World Championship will not be eligible to participate in the continental qualifiers unless they participate in a different style. Also Read: 'A red storm is coming to Qatar': Michael Sheen's inspiring speech to Wales ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022 At the World Olympic Qualifiers, three quotas in each Olympic weight class instead of the two previously will be at stake. Not just the gold and silver medal winners will secure quotas but the bronze medal winners will also get a chance to earn quota. The bronze winners will fight it out for the quota in each of the 18 categories. Unused quotas due to withdrawal, doping offence, or non-participation, will be transferred to the next best wrestler of that weight category of the tournament. The deadline for the Olympic Games entries will be July 8, 2024. The wrestling competition will be held from August 4-11.

World Wrestling Championships to offer fewer quotas for Paris Olympics, World Qualifier gets more: UWW

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)

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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

The organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympics said on Tuesday they want to make sure the doping case of Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva, which has rocked the Beijing Olympics, does not cast a shadow on their own Summer Games.

"Paris 2024 is 100% committed to the fight against doping and is working in close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure the fairness of the competitions in 2024 and the protection of athletes," they said in a statement to Reuters.

"We must use this situation (the Valieva case) to make sure that it does not happen again.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-olympics-2022-kamila-valieva-argued-positive-drug-test-was-mix-up-with-grandfathers-heart-medication-453431">Beijing Olympics 2022: Kamila Valieva argued positive drug test was mix-up with grandfather's heart medication</a>

"Our top priority will be the development and execution of an effective anti-doping program that protects the rights of athletes and the integrity of competitions."

Valieva, 15, has been cleared to further compete at the Beijing Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)'s decision to lift her provisional ban after a positive drug test that was revealed at the Games, prompting outrage from athletes and officials around the world.

The organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympics said on Tuesday they want to make sure the doping case of Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva, which has rocked the Beijing Olympics, does not cast a shadow on their own Summer Games.

The organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympics said on Tuesday they want to make sure the doping case of Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva, which has rocked the Beijing Olympics, does not cast a shadow on their own Summer Games. "Paris 2024 is 100% committed to the fight against doping and is working in close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure the fairness of the competitions in 2024 and the protection of athletes," they said in a statement to Reuters. "We must use this situation (the Valieva case) to make sure that it does not happen again. ALSO READ: Beijing Olympics 2022: Kamila Valieva argued positive drug test was mix-up with grandfather's heart medication "Our top priority will be the development and execution of an effective anti-doping program that protects the rights of athletes and the integrity of competitions." Valieva, 15, has been cleared to further compete at the Beijing Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA)'s decision to lift her provisional ban after a positive drug test that was revealed at the Games, prompting outrage from athletes and officials around the world.

Paris Olympics organisers to ensure Kamila Valieva case to not happen again

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>
— Paris 2024 (@Paris2024) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paris2024/status/1424447350022475777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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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

2020 Summer Olympics or the Tokyo Olympics was hot, and when we say hot, it's not about the sizzling performances but the sweltering conditions. With Tokyo temperatures averaging 32.

2020 Summer Olympics or the Tokyo Olympics was hot, and when we say hot, it's not about the sizzling performances but the sweltering conditions. With Tokyo temperatures averaging 32.2C during the Olympics, Tokyo Games turned out to be one of the hottest and most humid on record owing to soaring temperatures in the host city of Japan. The critical combination of heat and humidity proved to be borderline dangerous for athletes. The temperatures in Tokyo have been a matter of concern for the Olympics organisers with humidity around 70% during the Games. Understand how it posed a threat to athletes — when the body gets too hot, sweating helps to cool it off. However, if the sweat cannot evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature and evaporation is needed to effectively cool the body. Ahead of the Olympics, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic stood as a challenge because of the emergence of deadly variants that caused havoc globally. However, crushing heat and humidity remained another major issue. Citing athletes' "health and well-being" the organisers and International Olympic Committee (IOC) rescheduled some events for cooler hours and some were shifted to another city, like Sapporo, in order to find cooler temperatures. Athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, football, hockey, marathon swimming were some high-risk events. Impact on athletes: When the organisers were busy curbing COVID-19 cases, an urgent concern related to weather conditions emerged when Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva fainted due to the heat after finishing her qualifying round. She had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher and later got medical attention. In one of the tennis matches, Russia's Daniil Medvedev took two medical timeouts during one match. He also told the match umpire that he can finish the match but he can "die". He said, "If I die, are you going to be responsible?" Tennis players Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan and Paula Badosa of Spain retired mid-match with heat exhaustion. Badosa was even taken off the court in a wheelchair. IN PICS | India among countries with highest cash-rewards for Olympic medalists - Check out the complete list Tennis great Novak Djokovic also weighed in on the tougher conditions, he said, "You're constantly dehydrated, you feel you have weights on your shoulders because there's so much heat and humidity and stagnated air." The weather conditions impacted a range of events — beach volleyball players said that the sand had been almost too hot to stand on, athletes taking part in water sports had to wake up early to avoid morning heat, a caddie for American golfer had to quit due to exhaustion and another caddie was rushed to the hospital. Players, volunteers and support staff made staunch criticism of the conditions, urging the organisers to rethink the schedule. Ice baths and mist sprays for athletes: Organisers were quick on giving prompt help to the athletes when it came to weather-related struggles while coping with Tokyo's blazing humid summer. They prepared ice baths and mist sprays so that athletes can stay cool remain well-hydrated. Japan also used techniques such as solar heat-blocking pavements to reduce road surface temperatures to help. Toshiro Muto, the director-general of the Games opened up people suffering heat-related illnesses. He said, "I believe our steps have been working well so far." He added, "This is something we need to be vigilant about." Looking forward...: Remember, when in 2013, the Tokyo bid committee had promised "an ideal climate for athletes to perform at their best", we can now say that the experience in 2021 was not even close to "ideal". But where the anticipation went wrong, considering the fast-warming of the planet? Tokyo itself became hotter since it last hosted Olympics in 1964. As per a report by NASA, temperatures in the city have risen by 2.9C since 1900, which is almost three times the global average. IN PICS | From Ravi Kumar to PV Sindhu: Indian Athletes get mind-boggling cash rewards after winning medals in Tokyo Olympics Amid all the adversities, Tokyo Olympics was organised successfully. However, it should be treated as a warning for the organisers to not underestimate climate change and global heating while planning future summer events, where athletes from around the world are invited to compete. Especially the Paris Olympics in 2024, as a record heatwave that swept the French capital in 2019 and led to temperatures as high as 46C, killing over 1,500 people should not be ignored.

Olympics: Climate change played spoilsport at Tokyo, literally. Will Paris be worse?

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

Plans for the 2024 Summer&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;in Paris are "obsolete and outdated" in light of the coronavirus pandemic, IOC member and former French sports minister Guy Drut said Sunday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wada-wants-answers-after-banned-suns-olympic-training-call-up-294468" hreflang="en">WADA wants answers after banned Sun's 'Olympic training call-up'</a>

Former Olympic champion Drut, who won gold in the 110m hurdles in 1976 and took silver four years before, added in a column for franceinfo that the Olympic Games needed to be "reinvented" to put them more in touch with reality.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/china-signals-world-cup-ambitions-with-new-football-stadiums-294472" hreflang="en">China signals World Cup ambitions with new football stadiums</a>

"The crisis we're going through has a lasting impact on our daily lives, our way of life, our economy, our social pact, our choice of society," wrote Drut.

"It cannot and must not remain without effect on the imperative necessity which is to reinvent ourselves.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games are no exception to this new context. They too must reinvent themselves."

The International Olympic Committee, jointly with local organisers, has been forced into delaying the 2020 Tokyo&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;by one year to 2021 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

But Drut, an IOC member since 1996, argued that postponement of dates was just the tip of the iceberg.

"Can the response to this crisis be translated by simply postponing dates, without the Games model -- both economic and organisational -- also being deeply rethought?" asked the 69-year-old, who served as sports minister in France between 1995-7 under Jacques Chirac.

"The beautiful project that we built and carried in the bid phase for Paris 2024 is now obsolete, outdated, out of touch with reality.

"If the project is to remain unchanged, we must review its means and refocus on the essential. The first necessity is to make a budgetary reassessment of what Paris 2024&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;will cost.

"The Games of yesterday will not be the Games of tomorrow. We have to accept that and together imagine a new model.

"We have to rethink them to adapt them, to keep them relevant to the changing world. They will not be able to take place at any cost, disconnected from reality, on the 'margins' of the world."

In that context, Drut suggested hosting certain events on a single site "whatever the organising country", citing as an example Tahiti or Hawaii for surfing.

He also proposed limiting the number of additional sports.

"It is very expensive to build new equipment for an event that lasts only three, four days," Drut argued.

Plans for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are "obsolete and outdated" in light of the coronavirus pandemic, IOC member and former French sports minister Guy Drut said Sunday.

Plans for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are "obsolete and outdated" in light of the coronavirus pandemic, IOC member and former French sports minister Guy Drut said Sunday. Also read: WADA wants answers after banned Sun's 'Olympic training call-up' Former Olympic champion Drut, who won gold in the 110m hurdles in 1976 and took silver four years before, added in a column for franceinfo that the Olympic Games needed to be "reinvented" to put them more in touch with reality. Also read: China signals World Cup ambitions with new football stadiums "The crisis we're going through has a lasting impact on our daily lives, our way of life, our economy, our social pact, our choice of society," wrote Drut. "It cannot and must not remain without effect on the imperative necessity which is to reinvent ourselves. "The Olympic and Paralympic Games are no exception to this new context. They too must reinvent themselves." The International Olympic Committee, jointly with local organisers, has been forced into delaying the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by one year to 2021 because of the COVID-19 outbreak. But Drut, an IOC member since 1996, argued that postponement of dates was just the tip of the iceberg. "Can the response to this crisis be translated by simply postponing dates, without the Games model -- both economic and organisational -- also being deeply rethought?" asked the 69-year-old, who served as sports minister in France between 1995-7 under Jacques Chirac. "The beautiful project that we built and carried in the bid phase for Paris 2024 is now obsolete, outdated, out of touch with reality. "If the project is to remain unchanged, we must review its means and refocus on the essential. The first necessity is to make a budgetary reassessment of what Paris 2024 Olympics will cost. "The Games of yesterday will not be the Games of tomorrow. We have to accept that and together imagine a new model. "We have to rethink them to adapt them, to keep them relevant to the changing world. They will not be able to take place at any cost, disconnected from reality, on the 'margins' of the world." In that context, Drut suggested hosting certain events on a single site "whatever the organising country", citing as an example Tahiti or Hawaii for surfing. He also proposed limiting the number of additional sports. "It is very expensive to build new equipment for an event that lasts only three, four days," Drut argued.

Paris 2024 Olympics plans 'obsolete' - IOC member Drut

Paris is set to host the 2024 Olympic Games after the last candidate Los Angeles announced today it was pulling out of the race. The International Olympic Committee, however, is yet to officially announce the host of the 2024 Olympics.

French President Emmanuel Macron cautiously welcomed Los Angeles&#39; decision to pull out, hailing it as a &quot;very important step&quot; on the road to hosting the Games.

&quot;France notes the decision of Los Angeles to put forward its candidature for 2028 and to reach an agreement with the IOC and Paris,&quot; a statement from Macron&#39;s office said.

The French capital had insisted it wanted to host the Olympics&nbsp;in 2024, on the 100th anniversary of the city&#39;s 1924 Olympics which led to Los Angeles softening its stance and consider hosting the 2028 Games.

Paris had hosted the Olympics twice earlier in 1900 and 1924 but had failed thrice to host it in 1992, 2008 and 2012.

&nbsp;People in the streets of Paris have already started celebrating &quot;victory&quot; even as the French media declared they had &quot;won&quot; this time.

The International Olympic Committee is likely to announce France as the host of the 2024 Olympics at its meeting in Lima in September.

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President Emmanuel Macron cautiously welcomed Los Angeles' decision to pull out, hailing it as a "very important step" on the road to hosting the Games

Paris is set to host the 2024 Olympic Games after the last candidate Los Angeles announced today it was pulling out of the race. The International Olympic Committee, however, is yet to officially announce the host of the 2024 Olympics. French President Emmanuel Macron cautiously welcomed Los Angeles' decision to pull out, hailing it as a "very important step" on the road to hosting the Games. "France notes the decision of Los Angeles to put forward its candidature for 2028 and to reach an agreement with the IOC and Paris," a statement from Macron's office said. The French capital had insisted it wanted to host the Olympics in 2024, on the 100th anniversary of the city's 1924 Olympics which led to Los Angeles softening its stance and consider hosting the 2028 Games. Paris had hosted the Olympics twice earlier in 1900 and 1924 but had failed thrice to host it in 1992, 2008 and 2012. People in the streets of Paris have already started celebrating "victory" even as the French media declared they had "won" this time. The International Olympic Committee is likely to announce France as the host of the 2024 Olympics at its meeting in Lima in September.

Paris likely to host 2024 Olympics after Los Angeles pulls out

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe, on Thursday announced its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games.

Discovery, which also owns pan-European television network Eurosport and holds the European rights to the Olympics for the period 2018-2024, said in a statement: &quot;Today, Discovery Communications and Eurosport, Home of the Olympic Games in Europe, met with members of the Paris 2024 Olympic Bid Committee in a show of support for an Olympic Games to be held in Europe in 2024.&quot;

The announcement comes as Paris competes with Los Angeles for the right to host the Games. The winning bid will be named by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lima in September.

There are suggestions that the IOC will decide to award one city the 2024 Games and the other 2028.

&quot;We are excited to show our support for the Paris bid and their quest to bring the 2024 Olympic Games back to Europe,&quot; said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav.

The IOC&#39;s executive committee will meet on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the issue of announcing the hosts of the 2024 and 2028 at the same time this year.

The IOC is keen on a joint award in an effort to lock in two host candidates which offer low-risk, high-quality bids at a time when fewer cities are willing to take on the vast expense of staging the Olympics.

Publicly, however, both Paris and Los Angeles bid officials have stuck to the line that they remain focused only on 2024.

The IOC announced in June 2015 that Discovery had acquired the European rights for the Olympics for the six years to 2024 for a sum of 1.3 billion euros ($1.46 billion).

The period also covers the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo as well as the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

(AFP)

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe from 2018 to 2024, announces its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games.

American media giant Discovery, the rights holder for the Olympics in Europe, on Thursday announced its backing to the Paris bid to host the 2024 Games. Discovery, which also owns pan-European television network Eurosport and holds the European rights to the Olympics for the period 2018-2024, said in a statement: "Today, Discovery Communications and Eurosport, Home of the Olympic Games in Europe, met with members of the Paris 2024 Olympic Bid Committee in a show of support for an Olympic Games to be held in Europe in 2024." The announcement comes as Paris competes with Los Angeles for the right to host the Games. The winning bid will be named by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lima in September. There are suggestions that the IOC will decide to award one city the 2024 Games and the other 2028. "We are excited to show our support for the Paris bid and their quest to bring the 2024 Olympic Games back to Europe," said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav. The IOC's executive committee will meet on Friday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the issue of announcing the hosts of the 2024 and 2028 at the same time this year. The IOC is keen on a joint award in an effort to lock in two host candidates which offer low-risk, high-quality bids at a time when fewer cities are willing to take on the vast expense of staging the Olympics. Publicly, however, both Paris and Los Angeles bid officials have stuck to the line that they remain focused only on 2024. The IOC announced in June 2015 that Discovery had acquired the European rights for the Olympics for the six years to 2024 for a sum of 1.3 billion euros ($1.46 billion). The period also covers the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo as well as the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. (AFP)

2024 Olympics: Media giant Discovery backs Paris bid

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