Paris 2024's message for the future of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 

By Romane Martinage

Once again, the Olympic and Paralympic Games have turned the global spotlight onto the hosting nation. France used it as a vitrine, full of symbols. As a place proudly portrayed as the Land of the Enlightenment and human rights, Paris has seamlessly blended its cultural and historical heritage with the grandeur of the Games, using iconic venues as a backdrop. From the Stade de France, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup which has deeply ingrained the collective French memory, to the famed Stade Roland Garros which annually hosts a stage of the Grand Slam, the venues symbolise both France's sports legacy and its storied history. The list of emblematic locations extends to the Place de la Concorde, Versailles, and the Grand Palais. By now, stunning images from these sites have likely circulated worldwide, capturing the beauty and spirit of the event. 

The willingness to be symbolistic was also demonstrated during the Olympic torch relay, which featured participants far beyond the realm of athletes and para-athletes celebrities. On July 14th, France's national day, after the traditional morning military parade, Lassana Bathily carried the Olympic torch at the Place des Grands Hommes. Bathily may not be a household name, but his story is one of heroism and humanity. In 2015, during the attack on the Hyper Cacher supermarket in Paris, he saved several hostages. Therefore, Bathily’s participation in the relay, especially in front of the Panthéon—a site that honours the greatest figures in French History—stands as a testament to the values of humanity and bravery.

However, beneath these symbols of unity and progress, lies a stark reality of social inequality. Certainly, French stadiums have not been built by modern slaves. Nevertheless, the streets were meticulously cleaned, not from rats but from homeless people, pushing them out of sight. Even though the government denies it, the group of associations Le Revers de la Médaille published a daming report last June. What is more, a few months upstream of the first sport events, several workers’ unions called on strikes to obtain bonuses compensating for the related activity surpluses. Faced with the threat of strikes during the Games, President Emmanuel Macron called for an ‘Olympic truce’, and at the veil of the opening ceremony, the participating dancers also reported consequent wage disparities. 

The reality is therefore complex. Despite the noble intentions of inclusivity and progress, the organisation of the Games often comes with detours. This year, the official narrative emphasised the use of existing sites to avoid new constructions and their associated emissions, along with the electrification of the vehicle fleet for athlete transport. However, much of this fleet remained largely hybrid and non-rechargeable. The green facade that was presented to us hid a more browner reality.

In parallel, public awareness and demands for accountability have grown over time, raising questions about the feasibility of hosting such events. The withdrawal of the bids from Boston, Budapest and Rome for the 2024 Games demonstrated the reluctance of the usual host countries. Both the cost and the associated challenges - be they social or environmental - bring forth a critical question: Can the organisation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games genuinely align with democratic principles? Or will autocratic regimes no longer be the only ones willing to run? Those countries are keen to polish their image in the geopolitical scene, safe from any critics - since the nature of the regime. Recently, China, Russia and Qatar (for the 2022 FIFA World Cup) have joined the ranks of the host nations, until now characterised by their wealth and democratic governance and whose reluctance left the floor to even bigger scandals. At the time the above-mentioned countries hosted the event, the Uyghurs were trapped in labour camps in Xinjiang and the winter sports events took place in no-snowy locations. After taking the Olympic oath, Russia flouted it by doping its athletes. And, as we all remember, Qatar was responsible for building the air-conditioned stadiums using slave labour. Who can beat that? Before Paris 2024 started, the future of the games was questionable.

But Paris has decided. Because of the setting for the opening ceremony - the Seine rather than a stadium - the public had long been prepared for the ceremony to stand out from the crowd. And I don't think anyone was disappointed. The ceremony was grandiose and there are no other words to describe it. 

Beyond its unique aesthetic, Thomas Jolly orchestrated a spectacle that truly spoke to everyone. Singer Aya Nakamura standing at attention with the Republican Guard swaying behind her - what could be more beautiful? What could be more powerful? At a time when France had just gone through a complicated democratic period, the opening ceremony put everyone in agreement. Except perhaps the fachospère who was outraged on social network X - formerly Twitter. Certainly, a drag show that starts in the configuration of The Da Vinci The Last Supper made the conservatives cringe, but, at least, the words ‘inclusivity’ and ‘diversity’ were not just empty words. President Emmanuel Macron had also added the word ‘fierté’ (in English: Pride) to all his ‘Liberté Égalité Fraternité’ (Liberty, Fairness, Fraternity) - the motto of the French Republic. Certainly, the French were proud of hosting such an event, but everyone knows the power of this world in the LGBTQIA+ community. 

This is an even more powerful message when you consider the diversity of the spectators and the nature of the regimes hosted by the delegations. With sensual and suggestive dance scenes, Paris was able to contrast with the Russian Games, where athletes painted their nails in the colours of the LGBT flag to protest against the criminalisation of homosexuality. Humanist values were also embodied by the varied historical female figures of Simone Veil, who decriminalised abortion, and Gisèle Alimi, campaigners for women's rights whose importance we will never tire of being reminded of. 

The opening ceremony also spoke to everyone with the variety of the final Olympic torchbearers, who went alongside celebrities such as Zinedine Zidane, Rafael Nadal and Tony Parker. Having grown up with an older sister who was a gymnast, I was touched to see that Émilie Lepenec and Nadia Commanecci were also there. Every athlete, every relative of an athlete, and therefore every delegation, was represented before a balloon rose above the Tuileries Gardens. 

A few months earlier, I was worried about the future of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As someone who grew up watching the feats assiduously via a TV screen, I wasn't sure that this pleasure would last. Today, I no longer have any doubts. 

Sources : 

Le revers de la médaille 

https://lereversdelamedaille.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rapport-1-an-de-nettoyage-social-le-revers-de-la-medaille.pdf