Australian Olympians may face a wee problem on the Seine during opening ceremony

2 days ago 1

The Australian Olympic Committee hopes to debar an opening ceremonial occupation this period aft Paris organisers informed participating nations that immoderate boats carrying athletes down the River Seine won’t person a toilet connected board.

For the archetypal clip successful Summer Olympics history, the opening ceremonial – scheduled for July 26 successful Paris – volition not instrumentality spot successful a stadium.

Instead, athletes and officials volition parade connected boats down the Seine connected a six-kilometre way from Pont d’Austerlitz to Pont d’Iena, which goes done the centre of Paris. More than 100 Australian representatives volition instrumentality part.

Taking an opening ceremonial retired of a stadium has had its challenges. More than 80 boats are being organised to transport the state representatives successful beforehand of an expected 320,000 spectators.

National Olympic committees person been told of the on-board sanitation shortfall, according to informed sources speaking connected the information of anonymity owed to the confidential quality of discussions, with immoderate boats not equipped with bath facilities.

Barges cruise connected the Seine River adjacent the Eiffel Tower during a rehearsal for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

While toilets volition beryllium disposable to Olympians earlier they board, athletes are scheduled to walk conscionable nether an hr connected the stream perchance without basal facilities. That is if each goes to plan. Given the complexity of this first-of-its-kind open-air event, determination are concerns delays could occur.

Complicating matters volition beryllium the information that athletes preparing for contention volition person greater than mean levels of hydration.

Countries person not yet been told which boats they volition beryllium assigned, and it could beryllium the luck of the gully arsenic to which teams get boats with toilets.

The AOC is hoping it doesn’t face a concern successful which athletes are stranded and volition petition a vas with a toilet connected board. There is nary warrant that volition happen.

Australian athletes and officials won’t cognize until astatine slightest July 12 whether their vessel volition person a toilet. Final allocations volition beryllium connected each nations’ marching numbers, and with astir 80 athletes and 30 officials readying to instrumentality portion successful the opening ceremony, Australia could beryllium assigned respective boats. Australia is sending adjacent to 500 athletes to the Olympics.

In a connection to this masthead, an AOC spokesperson said: “We are assured our athletes volition beryllium good looked aft and volition truly bask their opening ceremonial experience. It’s a unsocial idea, ne'er done before, but we volition enactment with organisers to supply the champion experience.”

The Paris 2024 Organising Committee did not respond to a petition for comment.

The ceremonial volition beryllium a five-hour, door-to-door travel for athletes who question from the Olympic Village and permission instantly aft the vessel parade.

It volition beryllium a 7½-hour circular travel if they enactment for the last amusement astatine the Trocadero, adjacent the Eiffel Tower. Many athletes person decided they won’t enactment owed to the clip it volition take. The Australian swimmers volition not be due to the fact that their contention begins the adjacent morning.

All boats utilized for the opening ceremonial volition beryllium somewhat antithetic shapes and sizes. Some volition person outdoor areas.

Technical rehearsals person taken spot successful caller weeks and organisers are assured the opening ceremonial volition tally smoothly.

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