Less than a week before the opening ceremony, Paris Olympic organizers have announced a record number of tickets sold, exceeding 8.8 million, with 2,000 athletes already settled into their village.
“The preparations are going very well. The stage is set,” International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Saturday in Paris.
“We have an organizing committee that remains vigilant, which does not ignore any challenges, which you always rely on when you organize the most complex event in this world. This gives us great confidence.”
Security concerns continue to evolve over Friday’s opening ceremony in the heart of Paris along the river Seine, which will bring huge crowds and world leaders.
More than 6 million spectators have seen the torch relay across France, with about 450,000 observing the Olympic flame in Paris on July 14 and 15.
“Our commitment to social responsibility has been demonstrated through a significant reduction in carbon emissions,” organizing committee chief Tony Estanguet told the IOC executive board.
“Through our collaboration with the IOC and international federations, we have also ensured Paris 2024 will be the first-ever gender equal Games.”
The 1900 Paris Olympics opened the door to female competitors for the first time, after only men took part in the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896 in Athens.
The French capital is now set for another milestone as the first Olympics with full gender parity, with equal numbers of male and female athletes.
BY: Nadeem Faisal Baiga
