French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony might relocate from the River Seine to the national stadium in response to security concerns.
Macron explained in an interview with BFMTV and RMC that instead of teams floating down the Seine on barges, the ceremony could be “limited to the Trocadero” building across the river from the Eiffel Tower or “even moved to the Stade de France.”
The Paris organizers have planned a groundbreaking ceremony, breaking from the tradition of opening the Games in the main stadium, making it unprecedented in Olympic history.
However, despite war raging in Ukraine and Gaza, organizers have so far denied that the July 26 ceremony could be moved to a different venue if it is targeted.
“This opening ceremony … is a world first. We can do it and we are going to do it,” Macron said.
But, he added, “there are Plan Bs and Plan Cs,” including moving the ceremony to the Stade de France to the north of Paris.
“We will analyze this in real time,” Macron added.
He also said he would do “everything possible” to have an Olympic truce during the Games.
The truce is a historic tradition that peace reigns during the Olympics.
“We want to work toward an Olympic truce and I think it is an occasion for me to engage with many of our partners,” he said.
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