Summer Games - What is important at Olympia in Paris
The Football European Championship is barely over, yet the sports world is already looking towards the next major event: The Olympics in Paris. Starting from July 26th, in France, 329 Gold medals will be given away in 32 sports. Which German athletes are Gold contenders, who still has tickets, and what is the security situation? German Press Agency answers the key questions.
Who are the biggest Stars of the Games?
The US Basketball team is traveling with an impressive lineup of international stars. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are aiming for Gold. In tennis, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal want to prevent the next coup from Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Alexander Zverev. Exceptional gymnast Simone Biles from the USA, marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya, US sprint star Noah Lyles, or American swimmer Katie Ledecky bring great star potential. Football legend Marta is back with the Brazilian women, while German table tennis veteran Timo Boll is celebrated in China.
Which sports are new?
Medals will be awarded in Breakdance for the first time, where B-Boys and B-Girls face off in dance battles. New are also the Kitesurfing discipline in sailing and the Marathon Relay in walking. In sports climbing, the Combination competition now consists only of Boulders and Lead, while Speed becomes a separate discipline. A new weight class for women's boxing, Extreme Kayak, and a Mixed event in shooting are being introduced. Baseball, 50 km walking, or Karate are no longer in the program. Weightlifting will have fewer events.
Who are Germany's medal hopes?
After his German record in the Decathlon, Leo Neugebauer is considered a promising Gold candidate, while long jumper Malaika Mihambo would like to repeat her Olympic win from 2021 in Tokyo. Spear thrower Julian Weber also has chances among the athletes. Medals are expected from the riders around Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Michael Jung, as well as the rowers with Oliver Zeidler and the canoeists. In team sports, besides the two hockey teams, basketball world champions Germany are dreaming of a coup - just like the women's football team. Alexander Zverev would like to win his second Gold medal, as well as swimmer Florian Wellbrock. Lukas Maertens, Angelina Koeler, and Leonie Beck also seem to have a chance in swimming.
Can Russian athletes and athletes participate?
Russians and Belarusians can participate under a neutral flag due to Russia's military attack on Ukraine. Their national anthem will not be played, and national symbols and flags are banned for them. Teams are excluded. To be granted entry, athletes must have no connection to the army and security forces and not have publicly supported the war in Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee has set up a three-member commission to assess the eligibility conditions. Few Russian and Belarusian athletes have received the starter's permission for Paris.
What is the security situation like?
The terrorist threat in France remains "extremely high," as confirmed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. France had raised the highest terror alert level in March. In late May, investigators thwarted plans for an Islamic terrorist attack on a soccer game during the Olympics. Early July saw several arrests related to potential terrorist plans. About 70,000 security forces will be deployed around the Olympics, including around 35,000 police officers and 15,000 soldiers. Other countries, including Germany, are also sending personnel to France.
The opening ceremony poses particular challenges for the authorities this time. The games will not be opened in the stadium, but in the city center along the Seine. With the victory of the new Left Alliance in the election, at least the concern has disappeared that there will be persistent riots and unrest in France leading up to the Olympic Games.
Where can I watch the competitions?
The Summer Games will be broadcast on ARD, ZDF, and Eurosport. ZDF starts on July 25 with the first broadcast day of the women's football tournament. ARD is involved in the opening ceremony on Friday and the first competition day on Saturday. After that, the two broadcasters alternate daily and offer a total of 240 hours of programming. Eurosport promises a 24-hour program. In addition, the two publicly-funded broadcasters offer up to ten parallel livestreams with approximately 1,500 hours of reporting, which are also available in their respective media libraries. The paid streaming platform Discovery+ shows over 3,800 hours of live sports with all 329 medal decisions.
How can I still get tickets for the games?
Consumer protection agencies warn buyers to buy tickets only from the official Olympic sales website or the official resale website. Tickets can be resold on this platform since mid-May. For many competitions, the tickets are already largely or completely sold out. Therefore, in addition to the necessary money, one needs luck to be present in France. The cheapest entry tickets for qualifying competitions were originally priced at 24 euros, while the most expensive tickets were priced at 980 euros per person.
- The Olympic Games in Paris will feature 32 sports and distribute 329 Gold medals, commencing on July 26th.
- Stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant from the USA Basketball team aim to secure Gold in Paris.
- German tennis players Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal hope to defend their titles or prevent gold medals from Alexander Zverev.
- Simone Biles, Eliud Kipchoge, and Noah Lyles are among the notable athletes to bring star potential to the Summer Games.
- The European Football Championship may have concluded, but fans are already eager for Germany's performance at the Olympics in Paris.
- In sports climbing, Combination competitions will only consist of Boulders and Lead, while Speed becomes a separate discipline.
- The International Olympic Committee has set up a commission to assess the eligibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes due to Ukraine's conflict.
- Consumer protection agencies advise buying Olympic tickets only from official sources to avoid trouble and ensure validity.
- Fans can watch the summer games on ARD, ZDF, Eurosport, or the online streaming platform Discovery+.
- Starting from July 25, ZDF will broadcast the Women's Football tournament in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
