The 33rd Olympic Games will begin with a bang today (Friday) in the French capital, Paris. More than 10 thousand players from 206 countries are participating in this. A total of 329 races are conducted across 32 sports.
Athletes from different parts of the world are coming to Paris to participate in the Olympic Games. Similarly, fans from different parts of the country have come to witness today’s inaugural event and matches starting at 11 pm.
In this case, mysterious people have attacked the high-speed trains in different parts of France today. Rail traffic has been affected by incidents like vandalism and arson. Many trains have been cancelled. Passengers have been severely affected by this.
What happened to the rail network?
While details are still emerging, authorities say there have been arson attacks and other “criminal acts” of vandalism.
Transport Minister Patrice Vergrid said people had fled the fire and devices had been found to help start the fire. Officials said they found at least three fires. It sparked disturbances, particularly affecting Paris’s Montparnasse train station.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said intelligence services were trying to track down those involved in “acts of sabotage”. He called this action “manufactured and coordinated.” They took place against a backdrop of global tensions and heightened security measures as the city of Paris prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Paris prosecutors have launched an investigation into the crimes, which carry a prison sentence of 15 to 20 years.
Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of rail company SNCF, told French television that the actions showed “a serious intent to harm” the French and that their nature represented a “premeditated, calculated, coordinated attack”. said. How will arson attacks affect the 2024 Olympics? French trains and the larger transport system faced delays, with some journeys taking hours longer than they normally would or stopping altogether.
Delays spread internationally to stations in London. Many travelers had planned to gather in Paris for the opening ceremony, and many holidaymakers were in transit, including Parisians hoping to escape the Olympics.
An SNCF official on the Atlantic Line says two trains carrying athletes to the Olympics have been grounded and one has been cancelled.
Two German athletes in showjumping said they would miss the opening ceremonies due to long delays, a German news agency reported. “It’s a real shame, but we would have been too late,” said rider Philipp Weishaupt, who was traveling with team-mate Christian Kukuk. “There’s no chance of doing it in time anymore.” The rail company does not know when services will resume and fears disruption will last “at least all weekend” while repairs are carried out.
SNCF advised passengers to postpone their journeys and avoid visiting stations, saying all tickets were transferable and refundable.
Who is behind the vandalism?
French authorities have not yet said who is suspected of plotting and carrying out the arson attacks. Do they have connections to Russia? When asked, French Sports Minister Amelie Odia-Castera said, “Maybe there will be.” He said the attacks could have taken place internally. He called them “malicious acts”. Other French officials said it was too early to say whether there was any Russian connection.
The reason people are asking that question is because French officials and cybersecurity experts in the U.S. and Europe have detected a serious Russian effort to undermine France, particularly the Olympics, and President Emmanuel Macron, one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters in Europe. .
Also, French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the Olympics, including this week’s arrest of a Russian man on suspicion of plotting to disrupt the Olympics.
How important are the Paris Games?
The train disruption marks the start of the biggest event France has ever organized. The Olympics are a key moment for Macron, who faces political turmoil after recent legislative elections.
Macron welcomes more than 110 heads of state and government to Friday’s opening ceremony and a day earlier won a summit where world and business leaders pledged billions in funding to support sports initiatives aimed at accelerating sustainable development.
The Olympics are the best way to convince the world to “choose France,” Macron said this week, laying out a goal to encourage foreign investment in the country. “It will promote our landscapes, our amenities, our savoir-faire, our gastronomy.” Friday’s grand opening ceremony was set to welcome the world, but rail failures and expected storms make it look as if Macron will literally rain on his parade.
