This time, rather than being delivered by land, the Olympic flame that will ignite the 2024 Paris Games will be carried by sea. The flame will sail from its birthplace in Greece on a three-mast ship to the French port of Marseille.
The Olympic Games’ planners presented the official path for the flame’s voyage at City Hall in Marseille. Before arriving at the Old Port of Marseille, it will depart from Ancient Olympia and go to Athens. The flame will subsequently be greeted by hundreds of boats as it sails through the region, according to the Associated Press.
The torch will next proceed to the Marseille Marina, where the Olympic sailing competitions will take place. The stadium, which hosts soccer matches, will also be visited.
The flame will then be relayed across land using torches. When it does, the Olympic Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11, will be formally inaugurated in Paris. The city will also host the Paralympic Games.
The declaration was made at a meeting of Ukraine’s national Olympic committee, which was also debating whether or not to boycott the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris if Russian competitors are permitted to compete.
Athletes from Belarus and Russia who have not backed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine were given permission to compete in the 2018 Olympics last week by the International Olympic Committee. According to the news agency, this infuriated Ukraine, which wants to stop these nations from taking part in international sports.
When questioned about the matter by the Associated Press, Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organising committee, chose not to discuss it further because it was a political choice.
“My job is to make sure that all athletes who want to participate will be offered the best conditions in terms of security, to offer them the chance to live their dream,” he said.
The Olympic Torch Relay is the opening ceremony’s standout moment
The Olympic Torch Relay, one of the most beloved Olympic customs, stands for human friendship, solidarity, and peace. In remembrance of the Ancient Olympic Games, a ceremony was held on the site of Ancient Olympia to light a sacred fire that is carried by the torch.
The flame will then be carried by thousands of torchbearers to the host city, where it will complete its journey by igniting the Olympic cauldron at the Opening Ceremony to signal the start of the Games.
This tour will start in Marseille, which is inextricably linked to Greece and will play host to a number of Paris 2024 sporting events, next year.