France’s plan to host the 2024 Olympics was a gamble. For the most part, the big bets paid off.
Before the Games, there were concerns about possible terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, stampedes, strikes, political tensions, heat waves, the wisdom of holding swimming events in the Seine. A mid-July poll by Ifop, an international market research company, found that more than two-thirds of adults in France were indifferent, worried, or angry about the upcoming Olympics. When Ipsos polled 33 countries about their enthusiasm for the Olympics, France came in at the bottom.
Paris wowed visitors and spectators with spectacular venues that showcased some of the city’s most famous sites in breathtakingly unfamiliar ways. These Olympics welcomed spectators for the first time since the pandemic, and the roar of the crowds watching the sporting events filled the capital with new energy. Some Parisians who had gone on holiday returned to take in the action. “These were the perfect Games for Paris, for France and, if you like, for Macron,” said French political scientist Dominique Moisi. Even Macron’s low approval ratings have risen slightly.
It hasn’t all gone smoothly, of course. The investigation into the arson attacks on high-speed rail lines ahead of the opening ceremony remains ongoing. Olympic athletes and organisers have also reported threats and online harassment. The Games have required a colossal effort from more than 4,000 officials, 45,000 volunteers, 35,000 police and gendarmerie officers, 18,000 French soldiers and 1,800 foreign law enforcement officers. And their work is not over. The Paralympics begin on August 28.
Paris has managed to contain costs by minimising new construction. With an estimated cost of around $9.7 billion for both the Olympics and Paralympics, the competition is cheaper than London ($16.8 billion), Rio ($23.6 billion) and Tokyo (more than $13.7 billion), although inflation has made this year more expensive than expected.
As for the sporting portion of the Olympics, the winner of the unofficial medal count was unclear until the final day. In the end, the US team won, catching up with China in the number of gold medals on the final day and beating them in total: 126 to 91. Ukraine won 12 Olympic medals, three of which were gold.
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