France is preparing to welcome over a hundred heads of state and government, royalty and US First Lady Jill Biden for the Summer Olympics which begin with a dazzling ceremony on the river Seine on Friday. No Russian official representing Vladimir Putin’s government has been invited due to the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, while an Israeli delegation will be heavily protected as tensions rage over Israel’s continuing bombardment of Gaza. “We are ready to welcome the world,” said Samuel Ducroquet, France’s ambassador for Sports.
Europeans but no Russia
Russia, long a Summer Olympics powerhouse, has been banned from the Paris Games in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, but a tiny squad of neutral athletes will represent the country.
War-torn Ukraine has yet to announce whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the three-hour ceremony.
The new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who is keen to strengthen ties with France, will be in the stands overlooking the Seine to watch the spectacular river parade.
Paris 2024 “is a big event for France but also for the UK,” said Menna Rawlings, the British ambassador to France, adding that around 500,000 tickets had been sold in Britain.
Other European leaders expected to attend include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella and Finland’s Alexander Stubb, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
US first lady
US President Joe Biden, 81, who has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and is recovering from Covid, will not fly to Paris, but US First Lady Jill Biden has confirmed her presence at the Olympics.
The closing ceremony will be attended by Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now in the running for the White House.
Israeli delegation
Israeli President Isaac Herzog will attend the ceremony, under heavy protection, despite protests from Tehran, which called on Tuesday to ban Israel from the Olympics because of the unrelenting bombardment of Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attacks.
The head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, Jibril Rajoub, will represent Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Gulf states
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — popularly known by his initials MBS — and Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have kept their plans under wraps.
But the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was seen in Paris at the traditional pre-Games session.
Argentina’s Milei
Chinese President Xi Jinping will skip the Paris edition and be represented by Vice President Han Zheng.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has entrusted his wife Rosangela with representing the nation, but Argentine leader Javier Milei and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro have confirmed their attendance.
The participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is uncertain, as is that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
African leaders
Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon and Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic will both be present, but the attendance of Cameroonian leader Paul Biya has not been officially confirmed.
The new Senegalese president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, will be there but South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa will skip the occasion.
The opening ceremony will coincide with the first anniversary of a coup that ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, and the country will be represented by sports ministry official Abdoulaye Mohamadou.
Royalty
Britain’s Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, and Prince Albert of Monaco arrived on Monday to attend the IOC meeting — both are IOC members.
The King of Spain Felipe VI is also expected. Denmark will be represented by King Frederik X and Queen Mary, as well as Princess Benedikte, the sovereign’s octogenarian aunt.
Ceasefire call
Wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other places are not expected to stop, but the Olympics will be an opportunity for intense diplomatic activity.
On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to call on nations to “lay down their arms”, and Macron has also called for “an Olympic truce”.
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