Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris bids farewell to Olympics with Champs-Elysées parade: 'It's a bit hard that it's all over'

The French athletes' and volunteers' parade prolonged, for one final night, the excitement seen during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Published on September 15, 2024, at 9:03 am (Paris), updated on September 16, 2024, at 9:37 am Emma Barets, Nicolas Lepeltier, Elisabeth Pineau and Aureliano Tonet

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Paris 2024: As venues get dismantled, the 'enchanted interlude' comes to an end

The various competition venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games must now be returned to their original state by the organizing committee.

Published on September 12, 2024, at 6:00 pm (Paris), updated on September 13, 2024, at 12:50 pm Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: France's many post-Games challenges

The Olympic and Paralympic Games organization has been widely acclaimed, but assessing the event's legacy will take time.

Published on September 9, 2024, at 10:56 am (Paris), updated on September 9, 2024, at 10:57 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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How Paris 2024 transformed the capital's iconic landmarks into Olympic venues

With fencing under the dome of the Grand Palais, archery on the Esplanade des Invalides and beach volleyball and blind football at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the Olympic Games successfully combined feats with grandeur.

Published on September 5, 2024, at 4:30 am (Paris), updated on September 5, 2024, at 9:30 am Nicolas Lepeltier Roxana Azimi

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2024 Paralympics: Versatility, the mantra of wheelchair fencing

Unlike their able-bodied counterparts, fencers at the Paralympic Games switch between weapons to compete in multiple disciplines, an aspect that presents various challenges.

Published on September 4, 2024, at 6:00 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Five athletes lit the Paris Paralympics cauldron

The two flag bearers, Nantenin Keïta and Alexis Hanquinquant, were joined by athlete Charles-Antoine Kouakou, swimmer Elodie Lorandi and table tennis player Fabien Lamirault at the opening ceremony on Wednesday night.

Published on August 29, 2024, at 2:19 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris Paralympics kick off with festive ceremony focused on inclusivity

The 17th Summer Paralympic Games officially started on Wednesday on the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde, in front of thousands of spectators.

Published on August 29, 2024, at 10:05 am (Paris), updated on August 29, 2024, at 10:21 am Raphaëlle Rérolle, Nicolas Lepeltier, Emma Barets, Sylvain Siclier and Jérôme Porier

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Ready for season two of Paris 2024?

From August 28 to September 8, some 4,400 disabled athletes will be competing in the Paris Paralympic Games. Eleven days of competition that organizers hope will be as successful as the two weeks of the Olympics.

Published on August 28, 2024, at 5:30 am (Paris), updated on August 28, 2024, at 9:47 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Paralympic Games ticket sales on the rise but still fall short of target

Some 1.4 million tickets have been purchased for the Paralympic events, including 400,000 during the Olympics, according to the Games Organizing Committee. More than a million remain on sale between now and the end of August.

Published on August 16, 2024, at 2:54 am (Paris), updated on August 16, 2024, at 11:33 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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'The Paris Paralympic Games will be the most spectacular in history'

In an interview with Le Monde, Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee, says he is convinced that the sporting event will benefit from the popular momentum of the Olympic fortnight.

Published on August 15, 2024, at 5:38 am (Paris), updated on August 15, 2024, at 8:50 pm Nicolas Lepeltier

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2024 Olympics: Doping, a new area of conflict between the US and China

The two sporting powers, both vying for the top of the medals ranking, have accused each other of organized doping.

Published on August 12, 2024, at 5:30 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass: 'We have learned a lot' from Paris 2024

Karen Bass is in Paris for the last few days of the competition and will receive on Sunday the Olympic flag from Mayor Anne Hidalgo: Los Angeles will be the Games' next host country, in 2028.

Published on August 11, 2024, at 2:00 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Olympics 2024: Merchandise is benefitting from widespread enthusiasm

Tens of thousands of people flock to the official Paris 2024 Olympic Games shops every day. They spend an average of €100.

Published on August 9, 2024, at 8:09 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Ticketing for the Paralympic Games 'stirring'

The Paris 2024 Organizing Committee has sold just under half of the 2.8 million tickets offered. It is counting on the momentum of the Olympic Games to boost sales.

Published on August 9, 2024, at 7:46 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: India showcases its Olympic appetite

As a candidate to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, the country has been pursuing an intense lobbying campaign in Paris for months.

Published on August 6, 2024, at 5:37 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris Olympics: Russia's absence has benefited no single country

At the Tokyo Olympics, Russia won 71 medals, 20 of them gold. As the second week of the Paris Games gets underway, no delegation has largely profited from these undefended medals.

Published on August 5, 2024, at 3:07 pm (Paris), updated on August 5, 2024, at 9:31 pm Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024 Olympics: At 'half-time,' France has already reaped a historic medal collection

After nine days of competition, the French delegation has already won 43 medals, more than in any post-war Olympic Games.

Published on August 5, 2024, at 11:52 am (Paris), updated on August 5, 2024, at 12:55 pm Clément Guillou, Anthony Hernandez, Benoît Hopquin, Nicolas Lepeltier, Bruno Lesprit, Alexandre Pedro and Gilles van Kote

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Paris Olympics: France shines with eight medals in one day, including two golds

French athletes filled the podiums on Monday, taking gold and silver in fencing thanks to saber fencers Manon Apithy-Brunet and Sara Balzer, while Nicolas Gestin won the canoe slalom title. In three days, France has already won 16 medals.

Published on July 30, 2024, at 11:19 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: The opening ceremony's many challenges

The first of its kind organized on a body of water, the parade of Olympic delegations down Paris' Seine river on Friday requires extraordinary security measures.

Published on July 26, 2024, at 5:30 am (Paris), updated on July 26, 2024, at 7:18 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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An Olympic capital in a tense and divided world

The Olympic Games, with its opening ceremony scheduled for Friday, July 26, will unfold against a geopolitical backdrop marked by conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, rendering the idea of an 'Olympic truce' ineffective.

Published on July 25, 2024, at 8:00 pm (Paris), updated on July 26, 2024, at 5:51 am Philippe Ricard Luc Bronner Nicolas Lepeltier

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2030 Winter Olympics: A conditional victory for the French Alps

On Wednesday, July 24, the International Olympic Committee granted the hosting rights for the 2030 Winter Olympics to France, contingent upon the French government ensuring its financial commitment by October 1.

Published on July 24, 2024, at 11:01 pm (Paris), updated on July 25, 2024, at 7:57 am Nicolas Lepeltier Gilles Rof

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Awarding of 2030 Winter Games to France hinges on government's financial guarantee

Amidst institutional deadlock, the French government must provide the International Olympic Committee with necessary assurances in a letter before July 24, the day of the final decision on the Winter Olympics host.

Published on July 22, 2024, at 3:00 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Plan B opening ceremony would cost organizers over €255 million

In an internal memo revealed by 'Le Canard enchaîné' and viewed by Le Monde, the Paris 2024 Committee calculated the financial impact of various downgraded scenarios envisaged for the July 26 opening ceremony.

Published on July 16, 2024, at 10:49 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Olympic flame in Paris: 'Being here for the Games is a dream come true'

On Sunday July 14, the French capital welcomed the Olympic flame in a journey of gravity and enthusiasm, from the Champs-Elysées to the Hôtel de Ville.

Published on July 15, 2024, at 11:02 am (Paris), updated on July 15, 2024, at 11:05 am Nicolas Lepeltier, Mustapha Kessous, Emma Barets and Sylvia Zappi

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Paris 2024: Why the Seine's high flow rate threatens the Games' opening ceremony

Heavy spring and summer rainfall has swelled the river and its tributaries, as well as the four artificial reservoirs responsible for regulating them. The ceremony scheduled for July 26 could be adapted.

Published on July 12, 2024, at 5:30 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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'The flagship of French anti-doping': The Saclay laboratory gets ready for the Paris Olympics

'Le Monde' gained access to the laboratory that will be responsible for analyzing all 8,000 samples taken during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Published on June 30, 2024, at 2:42 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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From Taylor Swift to Olympic swimming: The transformation of Paris La Défense Arena

Europe's largest indoor venue will host the swimming and para-swimming events as well as the water polo finals during the summer Games. It's the outcome of lengthy negotiations between the organizing committee and the venue manager.

Published on June 12, 2024, at 8:00 pm (Paris), updated on June 13, 2024, at 2:51 pm Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: High-end offers struggle to win over VIP clientele

On Location, the exclusive hospitality provider for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, admits that it has to adapt to last-minute purchases for services that can cost tens of thousands of euros.

Published on May 3, 2024, at 2:57 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics: 'The Olympics are too strong to be damaged by Russia'

In an interview with Le Monde, the head of the international athletics federation president goes back over the reasons for his firm stance on Russian athletes and insists the Paris 2024 Games will be 'exceptional.'

Published on May 1, 2024, at 2:00 am (Paris) Yann Bouchez Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: All the details on the opening ceremony's security perimeters

Paris police presented the traffic bans, restricted areas, and other measures that will be put in place starting on July 18. Two security perimeters will be set up around the Seine river.

Published on April 26, 2024, at 2:43 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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France's sports minister: 'The Games will bring in far more to the nation than they cost'

One hundred days before the start of the Paris 2024 Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra speaks to Le Monde about key issues such as security, transportation and whether the Seine will be clean enough to swim in.

Published on April 17, 2024, at 11:30 am (Paris) Gabriel Richalot Nicolas Lepeltier Philippe Le Coeur

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Paris 2024: 100 days from the Olympics, should we rejoice or worry?

With 100 days to go before the start of the Olympic Games, security and budget scares are casting doubt on the state of preparation for the event. But there are also reasons for enthusiasm for an event promising to be spectacular.

Published on April 17, 2024, at 9:31 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Macron's 'plans B and C' for the Olympics opening ceremony on the Seine raise questions

On Monday, the French president confirmed the possibility of a limited ceremony at the Trocadéro square or even a move to the Stade de France stadium for the opening ceremony on July 26, if the terrorist threat is deemed too great.

Published on April 16, 2024, at 3:01 am (Paris), updated on April 16, 2024, at 7:57 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: 'It's essential that Russian athletes don't feel welcome in France,' says Ukrainian sports minister

Visiting Paris on April 2 and 3, Matvi Bidny told 'Le Monde' that Ukraine was closely monitoring the International Olympic Committee's assessment of athletes eligible to compete in the Olympic Games.

Published on April 5, 2024, at 2:46 am (Paris), updated on April 5, 2024, at 7:14 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris working-class suburb gets huge pool for the Olympics

Inaugurated on Thursday, April 4 by President Emmanuel Macron, the Aquatics Center will be home to diving, synchronized swimming and water polo competitions during the Olympic Games, before opening up to the public in 2025.

Published on April 4, 2024, at 3:14 pm (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: 'The Ukrainians have won the battle of the Seine'

The IOC's exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is a first victory for Ukraine. But Kyiv is demanding more.

Published on March 25, 2024, at 11:45 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Russia and the IOC reignite a cold war in world sport

Moscow reacted sharply to the IOC's new restrictions on Russian athletes likely to take part in the Olympic Games.

Published on March 21, 2024, at 2:42 pm (Paris), updated on March 21, 2024, at 2:44 pm Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Russian and Belarusian athletes banned from Olympic Games opening ceremony

On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee announced that athletes from both countries would not be allowed to take part in the parade on the Seine.

Published on March 20, 2024, at 10:54 am (Paris), updated on March 20, 2024, at 11:09 am Nicolas Lepeltier

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Paris 2024: Six months before they open, the Paralympic Games have mostly been overlooked

With six months left before the opening ceremony, the Paralympics are plagued by a lack of media visibility. This is one of the many challenges the event's organizers will face over the coming months.

Published on March 2, 2024, at 6:05 am (Paris) Nicolas Lepeltier

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Olympic Broadcasting Services, the secretive company behind the Games

Unknown to the general public, the IOC subsidiary responsible for capturing the images and sounds of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is as demanding as it is powerful. Broadcasters and public authorities have little leeway.

Published on February 7, 2024, at 5:00 am (Paris) Brice Laemle Nicolas Lepeltier

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