Paris Games Week

• The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Games were both affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in significant changes and schedule disruptions.
• But there is hope for a return to a more traditional and enjoyable Games with the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Athletes and sports

• Since pandemic restrictions are no longer in place, competing at the Olympics and living in the Athlete’s Village will be a much better experience for athletes, who will be able to freely mix and mingle again.
• There will be 32 sports and 329 events at the Paris Games.
• In the continuing push for gender equity, there will be equal numbers of male and female athletes for the first time.

Russian and Belarusian athletes

• Athletes from both countries have been effectively banned from international competition in the aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly recommended banning athletes from both countries from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, with the International Paralympic Committee following suit days later.
• The International Olympic Committee has attempted to strike a balance between continued support for Ukrainian athletes without “punishing athletes for the acts of their governments,” as IOC President Thomas Bach stated.

Olympic culture

• As the host city, Paris will be buzzing with excitement, offering a variety of Olympic activities.
• These include special fan zones, free viewings of the Olympic Torch Relay and opening ceremonies, access to hospitality houses and opportunities to visit sponsor sites like Samsung, Visa and Pride House.

Record-breaking media coverage

• While the Tokyo and Beijing Games still had extensive media coverage, the upcoming Paris Games are expected to have the most coverage out of any Olympics.
• By May, Paris organizers had sold 6.8 million tickets — about 70 per cent of the total inventory.
• The return of corporate sponsorships will also include extensive corporate hospitality and packages from major sponsors, including Visa, Coke, Samsung and others.

Security at the Games

• Recent events have raised the question of whether this propensity will play out during the Paris 2024 Games.
• Whether or not they are to be expected, a heavy anti-terrorism security presence can be expected, as has become the norm in recent decades at mega sport events.

One year to go

• The 2024 Paris Olympics should see a return to normalcy compared to the last two games.
• The legacy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French founder of the modern Olympic Games, and the Olympic Movement should continue unabated.