Paris officials insist they have no alternate plans to move the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics from its planned route down the River Seine, with nearly 100 barges and boats carrying athletes and officials on July 26.
Questions were raised when Pres. Macron told press that there was “obviously a plan B, a plan C” for the ceremony, a statement now denied by Tony Estanguet, head of the Olympics organizing committee. French security services have repeatedly questioned the idea of such a large ceremony in a difficult-to-control area rather than in a large stadium.
The Seine is also part of the Olympic games themselves, with the open-water swimming events and the swimming leg of the triathlon set to take place in the river. An early trial of the water for safety failed, but organizers are firm that the water will be clean enough by July.
