Opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games: what’s unusual about the scenario and where to watch in Ukraine
26 July 2024 13:40
Оlympics
The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris promises to be a unique and impressive event. For the first time in the history of modern competitions, it will be held not at a stadium, but in the heart of the city, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
Parade on the Seine
Around 10,000 athletes are expected to sail on boats along the Seine River past the most famous landmarks in Paris, including Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. The ceremony will last almost four hours, starting at 21:00 Kyiv time.
The organisers promise the ceremony will run smoothly despite a large-scale security operation involving tens of thousands of police officers. French President Emmanuel Macron noted that contingency plans have been developed in case of unforeseen circumstances.
The parade of athletes will take place along a 6-kilometre route along the Seine River, which has been thoroughly checked for cleanliness. The organisers hope that the event will highlight Paris’ status as the City of Light, especially as the sun begins to set.
The technical support for the ceremony will include cameras on each boat, which will allow viewers to see the athletes up close. It will be interesting to see how the organisers cope with the difference in delegation sizes – from nearly 600 athletes from the US to countries represented by just one participant.
The stars
The musical accompaniment of the ceremony caused some controversy. Although not officially confirmed, French-Malian R&B star Ai Nakamura is expected to perform, which has drawn criticism from the far right. There are also rumours about the possible participation of Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. The ceremony will include performances by 3,000 artists, including musicians and 400 bridge dancers.
Many celebrities and dignitaries are expected to attend, including more than 100 heads of state and government. Among the confirmed guests are US First Lady Jill Biden, Argentine President Javier Milei, French President Emmanuel Macron, and others.
Costumes and uniforms
Special attention is drawn to athletes’ costumes. For example, the US and UK teams will wear Ralph Lauren and Ben Sherman, respectively. The bright designs by Stella Jean for the Haitian team (pictured above) stand out. In total, 3,000 unique costumes were created for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, many of which were made from recycled materials.
The uniforms for the Ukrainian national team were designed by the Polish company 4F. It is known that the design elements of the Ukrainian uniforms will include the word “victory” and images of ears of grain.
Where to watch in Ukraine
The official broadcaster of the 2024 Olympic Games in Ukraine is UA:PBC. The Opening Ceremony, as well as any other events at the competition, will be broadcast on the Suspilne Sport TV channel, regional channels of Suspilne, as well as on the Suspilne Sport website.
Another broadcaster of the Games available in Ukraine on OTT platforms is Eurosport.
The matches of the Ukrainian national football team will also be available on Radio Promin.
