Former athlete and minister Guy Drut harshly criticizes the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics
Guy Drut, former Olympic champion, ex-minister, and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), did not mince his words in expressing his disappointment with the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Games. Guest this Sunday, August 4 by Le Figaro in their program “Bienvenue aux Jeux”, he shared his strong opinion on the event which took place on the Seine.
A disappointing ceremony
“I didn't like it at all,” he said. Guy Drut still enjoyed part of the ceremony: “From the moment there was the rider with the flags behind, I found it fabulous. But we forget the first part. »
The former athlete also mentioned that many friends left the ceremony before the end, a sign of their disapproval.
The Olympic stadium: a sacred place
Guy Drut underlined his attachment to traditional opening ceremonies in a stadium. “I have always been in favor of ceremonies in a stadium. When you enter the stadium, it's a bit like the keys to paradise. For me, the Olympic stadium is sacred,” he explained.
He criticized the decision to replace the stadium with "Olympic venues", a change he does not approve of. “This is why I abstained in the vote to change the Olympic charter from “Olympic stadium” to “Olympic venue”. I find this abnormal. »
Security and budgetary concerns
Guy Drut recognized the security challenges posed by organizing the ceremony on the Seine and congratulated the police for their work. However, he insisted that this new approach was much more expensive. According to him, expenses for the “Olympic sites” of Paris 2024 will far exceed those of the London 2012 Games, which he estimates at 53 million euros.
Hector M.
