We will always have Paris – or will we?
By Prof Dr Steve Cornelius, Sports Law Centre, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Human beings have a certain sense of optimism that often seems to survive all kinds of upheaval and sometimes flourish in the most dire of circumstances. It creates a kind of resilience which has ensured the survival of our species through very difficult times. This kind of optimism is most evident at the beginning of each year. It is as if the anticipation of a new year brings the hope of something new, something better. Sadly, it seldom does and many of the best new year's resolutions do not survive the first few weeks of January.
Perhaps the reason is that, in the bigger scheme of things, the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day simply signals that the earth has completed one more revolution around the sun and drifts on aimlessly through space on the next revolution. There is no magic wormhole through which the earth suddenly travels that creates a new reality, distant from the one we leave behind. So it is with a little less optimism that I warily anticipate more of the same in 2024 – and the signs are already there to suggest that it will indeed be the case.
I read a new spin on an old adage the other day: An optimist sees that the glass is half full; a pessimist sees that the glass is half empty; an idealist believes that there is an opportunity to fill the glass; and an opportunist drinks the content of the glass while the others are arguing! So, on that basis, let us consider the world of sport in the year ahead.
Being a leap year, 2024 is also an Olympic year. Perhaps the fact that the Summer Olympics will return to Paris in 2024, can bring some cheer to the world. It is a century since Paris had last hosted the Olympics in 1924. It seems that history indeed repeats itself. Whilst the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp was officially seen as the first post-World War 1 and post-Spanish flu Games, the planning of the 1920 event and the available resources were severely hampered by these major upheavals. It was the 1924 Olympics in Paris that truly signalled a time of prosperity and a return to a fairly normal life across the globe. Similarly, the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo had to be moved to 2021 and suffered, due to restrictions on travel and social distancing necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Paris will signal the triumph over COVID and the return to a more normal life. And who knows, perhaps it could also be the beacon that heralds a new time of global prosperity.
Despite this, Paris faces the same issues that have dogged the Olympic Games for decades. In June and October 2023, French authorities raided the offices of the Organising Committee and allegations of favouritism and questionable practises came to light. It seems that the opportunists, as always, were preparing to drink while others were arguing about the wisdom of hosting the event in Paris. The outcomes of these investigations may not be known for some time after the closing ceremony is concluded. But all the indications are there that some heads may still roll in the years to come. In a macabre way, it is fitting that the city, which gave us the expression of "heads will roll", would produce a few more rolling heads in a figurative sense.
Sadly, the Paris Games will also inevitably feel the impact of a tense global geopolitical situation that has some pessimistic commentators fear that World War 3 is on the cards. The exclusion of Russian athletes due to systemic corruption in the Russian anti-doping regime, still holds. This has been complicated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Where Russian athletes were at least able to participate in Tokyo under a neutral flag, it seems unlikely that any Russian athletes will be in Paris. Similarly, the Israel/Palestinian conflict will also impact on the Paris Games. Arguably, the most significant concern from this conflict is security. Everybody will be mindful of the fact that this almost eternal conflict was the source of the 1972 Munich hostage drama.
Perhaps the Greek spirit of εκεχειρία (ekecheiría) will prevail and athletes from Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Palestine and other troubled regions in the world, can come together and revive the ancient Olympic truce. The ancient Greeks did not necessarily cease hostilities during the ancient Olympic Games, but at least they vowed not to attack Olympia and allowed all athletes to travel freely and participate in the Games. So, let us pray that everybody respects the safety of athletes and spectators in Paris and allows all the deserving athletes to participate.
In view of the security concerns, authorities in France have already, in the run-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, introduced various measures to ensure the safety of athletes, spectators, tourists and locals. One would expect nothing less. In 2015, Paris was the scene of suicide bomb attacks aimed at the football match between France and Germany that took place in the Stade de France in November 2015. Proper security measures prevented the attackers from entering the stadium, but could not prevent the detonation of their bombs. French and Olympic authorities would certainly seek to avoid another attack - at all costs.
Whilst additional security is a sad fact of life in the times that we live in, I fear that the measures have ruined Paris. In the run-up to the Rugby World Cup, the atmosphere was tense and the city did not seem to have the same joie de vivre vibe to it. Compared to previous visits, my last trip to Paris was a disappointment. I fear that the security required to host a mega event, means that we may have lost Paris and we may never have it back again. On the other hand, the athletes, who win medals at the 2024 Games, will always have Paris!
Prof Dr Steve Cornelius may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
