Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics: The countdown begins

The countdown to the Summer Olympics in 2024 has begun, and the world is watching eagerly as Paris, France, prepares to host the games.

Olympic Rings © Photo by Bryan Turner on Unsplash
The countdown to the Summer Olympics in 2024 has begun, and the world is watching eagerly as Paris, France, prepares to host the games. It's still two years until the games begin, but as the deadline draws closer, we take a look at some of the major news leading up to these quadrennial extravaganzas.

Paris 2024: The vision

In 2024, a fresh take on the Olympic ideal will be put into practice in a unique atmosphere of global celebration. And after a particularly difficult time with the pandemic, the French plan on working with the entire Olympic family to show how sport can improve the world. 95% of the venues in the plan are already in place or are temporary, and each one has a specific legacy that aligns with the city's long-term development goals.

The sporting celebration will go along the Seine from the new Olympic Village, only 15 minutes from the heart of Paris, to sites like the Grand Palais and the Eiffel Tower. For hundreds of years, Paris has welcomed visitors from the world over, including the Olympic Movement's founders, to work, be inspired by one another, and create new ideas and the future. In the city where Pierre de Coubertin first saw the possibility of a world unified by sport, Paris will host spectacular and significant games in 2024 that will create a new turning point in sports history.

2024's Olympic Games will run from July 26 to August 11, inclusive. The IOC's Olympic Agenda 2020 gave Paris 2024 a chance to suggest additional sports to improve its overall idea and schedule. IOC officials are eager to establish a new benchmark for inclusive, gender-balanced, and youth-focused competitions. The IOC received a request from Paris 2024 to include four new sports popular among young people and honour physical prowess and creativity. Breaking, sport climbing, skateboarding, and surfing are some of these activities. All four are simple to adopt, and participants create vibrant online communities.

Paris 2024: The Venues

Paris merits every honour since it is unlike any other city. The games in the nation's capital are expected to be a comprehensive spectacle designed with competitors, spectators, and television viewers in mind. In order to give fans an unmatched experience and present an excellent backdrop for athletic prowess, Paris' famous landmarks are being converted into sporting venues. The games will be visible throughout the city, from Les Yvelines to Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-et-Marne, and Seine-Saint-Denis. Seine-Saint-Denis, the project's focal point since the bid phase, will house the Olympic and Paralympic Villages, the Media Village, and six sports. Additionally, the Paralympic road cycling and marathon will provide a unique opportunity to showcase the Seine-Saint-Denis department to spectators and viewers from around the world.

Paris 2024: Ticketing

Nearly 10 million tickets for the 2024 Olympics and another 3.4 million for the Paralympics will be available. Packages and individual event tickets will be available for the Olympic Games, and day passes to many paralympic sports and individual event tickets will be offered for the Paralympic Games. Because of the increasing level of interest and demand, a draw will be held to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to win a ticket to the Olympic Games. All Olympic sports will start at the cost of €24, while all Paralympic sports will cost €15.

Paris 2024: The Athletes

The main goal of Paris 2024 is to stage an event that is planned both by and for athletes. To give the athletes a voice, they established the Athletes' Commission. Every organising committee for an Olympic or Paralympic Games has one, but Paris 2024 has chosen to broaden it.

According to the Olympic Charter, each International Federation determines the requirements for each sport's participation in the Olympic Games. Some choose the qualified teams or athletes based on ranking; some use existing contests; and others establish specific Olympic qualifying tournaments. Countries like South Africa have already begun incentivising their athletes. In a recent report, Telkom South Africa announced its intention to sponsor Team South Africa for Paris 2024. The multi-million rand sponsorship will enable SASCOC to increase Team SA and add more athletes who qualify, offering South Africa's homegrown talent the chance to participate on the biggest sporting stage in the world. Additionally, Telkom will provide R4 million to the medal incentive fund, which will be split between the Olympians and Paralympians. Here's hoping more countries are doing the same and many athletes will show up to this unique world event.