France has been plagued by concerns and controversy ahead of the 2024 Olympics, which will be held in Paris on July 26.
Al Jazeera looks at five of the biggest stories surrounding the Olympics.
French athletes banned from wearing hijab
The host country has banned athletes from wearing the hijab (the headscarf worn by some Muslim women) while competing in the Olympics.
In September, then-France Sports Minister Amélie Oudea-Castera announced that French athletes would not be allowed to wear the hijab during the Olympics, out of respect for the principle of secularism and to ensure “absolute neutrality in public services.”
The move has been met with widespread criticism and protests, as France is the only country in Europe with one of the largest Muslim minorities, yet excludes athletes wearing the hijab from most domestic sporting events.
However, the International Olympic Committee has confirmed that athletes are free to wear the hijab in the athletes’ village.
“For the Olympic Village, IOC rules apply,” an IOC spokesperson said shortly after the French government issued its ban. “There are no restrictions on wearing the hijab or any other religious or cultural attire.”
Call for a ban on Israel
Palestinians and supporters of the Palestinian cause, angered by Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, have called on the IOC to ban Israel from the Olympics.
Since Hamas launched its offensive in eastern Israel on October 7, Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians, including more than 15,000 children.
Those calling for a ban say Israel should face consequences for its actions, especially given that South Africa has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
But despite the 10-month war, Israel’s Olympic status remains untouched until the Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach said in March when asked about the Israeli team and athletes not participating in Paris: “No, there is no doubt about it.”
Palestinian activists have continued to call on the IOC to ban Israel from the Games, using online petitions and protests around the world, including one outside the 2024 Olympics headquarters in Paris, France.
Workers’ Rights Are Not Ready
When a country prepares to host a major event, workers’ rights, wages, and working conditions are always under scrutiny. In Paris, many of the large-scale projects the city has undertaken for the Olympics have come at a cost to workers.
France is the fourth most dangerous country in Europe for workers, with 560,000 accidents expected in 2022, more than any other EU member state, according to a report from the French National Health Insurance System.
At least 181 workplace accidents have occurred on Olympic-related construction projects, 31 of which were serious, according to Nicolas Ferrand, director of SOLIDEO, a publicly funded company set up to build permanent facilities that will remain after the event.
Workers and unions demanded better working conditions and wages.
The Olympics are in danger of being abandoned as disputes between airline workers and management erupt at several airports across Paris, as unions announce a one-day strike on July 17 demanding bigger Olympic bonuses and staffing.
If the situation continues, the conflict with the management could affect the Games, which are due to arrive en masse on July 18 and hundreds of thousands of ticket holders are expected to board flights ahead of the opening ceremony on July 26.
Seine River water quality
The Seine River, located in the heart of the capital, has failed water quality tests several times, but Paris city hall allowed swimming less than two weeks before the Olympics began.
City official Pierre Labadan said Friday that water quality had met required standards for “11 or 10” of the past 12 days.
But previous tests have shown that levels of E. coli, an indicator of stool bacteria, are well above the upper limit set by the sports federation.
As of June 18, E. coli levels were 10 times the acceptable level and had never fallen below the upper limit of 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 millilitres (cfu/ml) used by the World Triathlon Federation.
If the weather permits, the opening ceremony will be held on the river, followed by a triathlon and a swimming marathon.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudeacaster swam in the Seine River on Saturday in an attempt to prove that the river was clean enough for competitors.
French authorities have spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) over the past decade to improve Paris’ sewer system and build new water treatment and storage facilities to clean up the river.
Paris 2024 organizers have faced repeated questions about what they will do if the Seine becomes too dirty and turbulent after the Games begin, but they have publicly maintained that there is no alternative.
For open water swimming, organizers have flexibility in scheduling and can postpone events for a few days if there is heavy rain that causes a surge in pollution.
In the worst case scenario, it may be cancelled.
Triathlons can also be rescheduled and converted into duathlons, with only the run and bike, excluding the swim.
Participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus
Athletes from Russia and Belarus have been banned from world sport since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but the IOC has arranged for a gradual return on a neutral basis, subject to strict conditions.
To be invited to the Games, “neutral individual athletes” who performed well enough had to undergo a dual screening process by international sports federations and the IOC, to ensure that the athlete did not actively support the Ukrainian conflict or have any ties to their country’s military.
The IOC said in March that it expected 36 Russians and 22 Belarusians to compete in Paris “in the most likely scenario”, compared with 330 Russians and 104 Belarusians who will compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
But according to the latest figures released Tuesday, only 16 Russians and 17 Belarusians have accepted invitations to compete on a neutral basis.
An IOC official told AFP that the updated list, which includes 10 sports ranging from cycling to swimming and tennis, could be subject to change if competitors withdraw.
So far, the IOC has counted 19 rejections from Russia, including from athletes who changed their minds, and seven rejections from Belarusians, including women’s tennis players Arina Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, who are ranked third and 16th in the world.
Russian gymnasts had announced in advance that they would not participate. All track and field athletes were banned from world athletics.
The IOC also banned the two countries from participating in team events. Athletes are not allowed to wear national colors, but they will compete under a green flag with the letters “AIN.” The IOC has chosen a silent national anthem that will be played if anyone wins a gold medal.
They are not allowed to parade on the Seine at the opening ceremony and are not included in the medal standings.
We know how often tyranny tries to use sports for ideological gain. It is clear that the neutral flag of Russian athletes is stained with blood. I invite Mr. Bach to Bakhmut. Then he will see with his own eyes that neutrality does not exist. pic.twitter.com/icSdvgpD87
— Volodymyr Zelensky / Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) January 27, 2023
