Tourists will not be allowed to watch the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics for free as originally promised, the French government said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
The reason is security concerns for the outdoor event by the Seine River.
Organizers had planned a grand opening ceremony on July 26 that could be attended by around 600,000 people, most of whom could watch for free from the riverbanks, but security and logistical concerns have led the government to scale back its ambitions .
Last month, the total number of spectators who could attend the event was reduced to around 300,000 people. Now Interior Minister Gerald Darmanen said 104,000 of them would have to buy tickets with seats on the north bank of the Seine, while 222,000 would be able to watch for free from the south banks.
However, he stated that the free tickets will no longer be available to the public and will instead be replaced by invitations.
“To control the movement of the multitude of people, we cannot invite everyone to come,” stated Darmanen.
Two Home Office officials said the decision meant tourists would not be able to sign up for free entry as previously announced. Instead, access to the ceremony will be determined through quotas for selected residents of the cities where Olympic events are held, local sports federations and other individuals chosen by the organizers or their partners.
Local city councils can invite “their employees, kids from local soccer clubs and their parents,” for example, Darmanen said. Invitees will then have to undergo a security check and receive QR codes to pass through the security barriers.
Illustrative Photo by Luke Webb: https://www.pexels.com/photo/panoramic-view-of-city-of-paris-2738173/
