The 2024 Olympic Games Have Opened in Paris. Here’s What's Up

The 2024 Summer Olympics, Paris 2024, is taking place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, in France. Although events have already begun in France, today’s procession along the Seine officially inaugurated the Summer Games.

Here’s what you need to know about the Games so far:

142 Ukrainian athletes to compete in the Olympics

A total of 142 Ukrainian athletes will represent Ukraine at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The team includes both emerging talents and Olympic champions, competing in 26 of the 32 sports, including the debut of breakdancing.

This will be Ukraine’s smallest Olympic team ever, a result of the severe impact of Russia's full-scale war: athletes have been killed, injured or displaced, with many training facilities and stadiums have been destroyed. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has taken the lives of Ukrainian coaches and young athletic talent. Despite these challenges, Ukrainian athletes remain committed to representing their country, with hopeful and optimistic prospects for medals.

15 Russian and 16 Belarusian athletes to compete in the Olympics

In October 2023, the IOC suspended the Russian Olympic Committee due to Russia's annexation of Ukrainian regions. Consequently, Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete as neutrals in the Paris 2024 Olympics, be excluded from the opening ceremony, and will not be included in the medal standings. Their national symbols will also be banned. The International Olympic Committee released a list on its website of 15 Russian and 16 Belarusian athletes who were cleared to compete in Paris.

Ukrainian Olympic Champion Serhii Bubka and Snoop Dogg to Carry Flame in Opening Ceremony

Olympic champion in athletics and former President of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee Serhii Bubka will carry the Olympic flame ahead of the 2024 Games' opening ceremony, as reported by France 24.

On Friday, July 26, the Olympic flame will pass through Saint-Denis before proceeding through the Olympic village and the Stade de France arena. Joining Bubka, the ceremony will feature American performer Snoop Dogg and French actress Laetitia Casta, among others.

France Subjected to Large-Scale Trains Sabotage

Just hours before the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony, France's high-speed rail network was hit by arson attacks that disrupted travel. According to a source close to the investigation, the attacks were described as "coordinated acts of sabotage."

This sabotage in Paris comes days after the arrest of a 40-year-old Russian chef, Kirill Gryaznov, over an alleged plot to sabotage the Paris Olympic Games.

Russia has a long history of targeting the Olympics, and a lot of reports have been indicating that this year is not going to be an exception. On June 4, Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) stated that Russian influence actors are employing AI in disinformation campaigns aimed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. According to the report, these actors have been active since last June, disseminating fake videos, images, and articles to tarnish the reputation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and instill fear of violence at the upcoming Games.

Stay with us for updates as the 2024 Summer Olympics unfold.