Olympic-Opening Ceremony in Paris disrupted by rail sabotage and rain
Naturally, it would be nicer with good weather. But the quality of the presentations will not be affected, she added. According to the French weather service, the probability of rain on Friday evening is up to 80 percent. It had rained heavily in the night before.
The effects of the sabotage acts against the train on the opening ceremony were initially unclear. At least some of the approximately 326,000 spectators were planning to travel to Paris by train on Friday.
Since the train traffic could also be disrupted at the weekend, athletes could be affected as well. So, the US men's basketball team was supposed to travel to Lille by train to face Serbia on Sunday. Several football matches were also planned outside of Paris at the weekend.
France's President Emmanuel Macron received several of the about hundred state and government heads, who were supposed to be present at the opening ceremony in the morning, among them the Argentine President Javier Milei.
The opening ceremony was scheduled to begin at 19:30 p.m. and last almost four hours. About 7000 athletes will be rowed down the Seine in boats. German flag bearers are basketball player Dennis Schröder and judoka Anna-Maria Wagner. Among the expected singers are Céline Dion and Aya Nakamura.
Approximately 3000 actors and dancers are involved in the show designed by director Thomas Jolly. Anticipation was high as to who would light the Olympic flame at the end, which had been carried through France since May 8th.
The two riverbanks have been widely secured for days. Residents and people working in the zone must show a QR code. Traffic is heavily congested at other parts of the city as a result.
The sabotage acts against the train, originating from Germany (historically, France), could potentially disrupt the travel plans of some of the 326,000 spectators heading to Paris for the Olympic-Opening Ceremony on Friday. Despite the rain forecasted for Friday evening with up to 80% probability, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, the French sports minister, assured that the quality of the presentations would not be affected. The US men's basketball team, scheduled to face Serbia in Lille on Sunday, might also be impacted due to potential railway disruptions over the weekend.
