“Today the really main and very probable plan is to organize this ceremony on the Seine” for the Paris Olympics, declared on RFI Tony Estanguet, interviewed from Olympia in Greece a few hours before the lighting ceremony traditional Olympic flame. “The President of the Republic was very clear [lundi]the main objective is to achieve a very beautiful, absolutely unique opening ceremony, the first time that it will be held outside a stadium, in the center of Paris on the Seine,” he said.
Monday morning, the President of the Republic tried to reassure that this ceremony would take place, while outlining for the first time “plans B and C” in the event of a terrorist threat. He had already assured that alternative scenarios were being considered. For the first time, he began to detail them, citing in particular the Stade de France, which had until now been excluded by the authorities.
“Adapt to the context”
For the boss of Cojo, “all energies and means are being implemented to make this very beautiful ceremony a success”. “At the same time, we are looking at all the contingency plans to adapt to the context, because it is our responsibility,” he added. “Depending on the state and the situation in which we find ourselves, we will adapt the project.”
The hypothesis of the Stade de France, which also hosts Olympic rugby events before the opening of the Olympic Games, would be a purely ceremonial ceremony, without the artistic dimension, to officially pronounce the opening of the Olympic Games, according to sources close to the matter.
The boss of Cojo also welcomed the expected lighting, Tuesday morning, of the Olympic flame: “It’s a very important moment, it’s the start of this adventure.” The swimmer Laure Manaudou, who will succeed in Greece the very first torchbearer, the Greek rower Stefanos Ntouskos, will be the first French torchbearer of the Paris Olympics. The flame will arrive in France on May 8 in Marseille.