Increased Security in Paris Ahead of Olympics
Around the canopy of Les Halles in Paris, this Tuesday afternoon, around ten police and gendarmerie crews patrol without interruption. Some are armed with assault rifles, patrolling the Nelson-Mandela garden, the shopping center, and the subway corridors. 'Now is not the time to mess around!' jokes a security guard stationed near the Monoprix store. Ervin, 25, and Mohamed, 27, computer specialists in the neighborhood, noted the massive reinforcement of the police in the capital. However, it did not disrupt their daily routines.
Ervin commented, 'I think that with the Olympics coming up, we will feel their presence more and more, that’s normal.' In the capital, it is difficult to miss the significant police force deployed in recent days. 'At the moment, Paris is crisscrossed everywhere. It’s an unprecedented mobilization,' said David-Olivier Reverdy, national secretary of the Alliance-Police nationale union for Île-de-France. Staff from all over France are already roaming the streets of the City of Light almost two weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 26.
French Marathon Runner Faces Suspension
In a related development, French marathon runner Mehdi Frère faces a two-year suspension by World Athletics. This news comes just two days after the publication of the French athletics team selection, where he appeared under conditions. Frère is suspected of not showing up for three unannounced doping controls, which had already earned him a provisional suspension by the athletics integrity unit in June, preventing him from participating in the half-marathon of the European Championships in Rome.
Now, his participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is in jeopardy. Frère has already appealed to the Sports Court (CAS). The hearing took place last week in the presence of the marathon runner, according to Le Parisien. 'An accelerated procedure should thus make it possible to obtain an arbitration award before the start of the Games,' assured his lawyer Laurent Fellous, quoted by France Info. If the suspension is confirmed by the CAS, Félix Bour could be chosen by the French athletics federation to replace him and start the Olympic marathon on August 10.
