As the anticipation for the Paris 2024 Games builds, it comes with acknowledgement of the challenges ahead, particularly for the bomb disposal squad. The upcoming event is not only a celebration of athletic prowess but also a reminder of the complex security landscape that surrounds such global gatherings. The bomb disposal team, entrusted with ensuring the safety of participants and spectators alike, is set to what they termed to be a considerable challenge in their tireless efforts to maintain a secure environment for the grand sporting spectacle.
“The Olympic Games are an absolutely considerable challenge,” Christophe Pezron said ahead of the event as reported by Reuters.
The Paris Olympics, set to take place from July 26 to August 11, pose a significant challenge for the city’s bomb disposal team. In preparation for the event, the team has been collaborating closely with Paris 2024 organizers. The goal is to establish the appropriate level of bomb-clearing intervention to ensure the safety and security of the Olympics and Paralympics in the French capital next summer, as highlighted by the director of the central police laboratory on Monday.
“We’ve been preparing for the Olympic Games for over 18 months now,” Pezron added. “For 18 months now, we’ve been in constant dialogue with Paris 2024, with our authorities, to define the right level of bomb-disposal intervention.
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“As far as bomb-disposal practice is concerned, there are two stages which are quite separate for us from the site inspection stages, since each of the Olympic Games sites will be inspected before being handed over to the organisers.”
Conducting a preemptive inspection resembling a rehearsal, the bomb disposal team recently assessed security measures at the Stade de France during the Rugby World Cup. This marks the initial phase of inspections across all Olympic Games sites.
Running in parallel, the team anticipates heightened challenges due to the increased movement of people during the Olympics, foreseeing a potential surge in abandoned parcels and suspicious packages. Recognizing this, they are gearing up for an increased level of intervention activity to ensure the safety of the public and participants during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
“And the second activity, which will be carried out in parallel, is that we imagine that, given the population that will be moving around during the Olympic Games, we’re likely to be faced with an increase in the number of abandoned parcels and suspicious packages. So, from that point on, we’ll certainly be seeing a great deal of intervention activity.” Perzon stated.
France under state of Alert ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics:
France has maintained a heightened state of alert since increasing its security measures in October. The frequency of bomb alerts in prominent tourist attractions like the Louvre Museum and the Versailles Palace has risen, particularly following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7.
In a recent incident last Saturday, an attack near the Eiffel Tower on the Quai de Grenelle resulted in one fatality and two injuries. Notably, this location is part of the plans for the upcoming opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. These events have understandably raised concerns among authorities and spectators alike about the safety and security surrounding the upcoming games.
When questioned about the possibility of altering the plan to hold the opening ceremony on the River Seine, considering the security threats and the expected several hundred thousand spectators along its banks, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera asserted that there is no “Plan B.”
The current arrangement involves 160 boats embarking on a six-kilometer journey from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Pont d’Iena on July 26. Tony Estanguet, the head of the Games’ organizing committee, described this event as “unique and spectacular.” Despite security concerns, the government appears committed to the original plan for the distinctive opening ceremony.
