Paris "ready" for Olympics, say organizers

Tony Estanguet (C), President of Paris 2024, speaks during a press conference at Paris 2024 Main Press Centre in Paris, France, July 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

PARIS, July 21 (Xinhua) -- With just five days to go until the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, organizers have said they are "ready" for the Games and have promised a clean Seine River.

"We are ready as we head into the final phase," Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee told a press conference on Sunday. "Today we are exactly where we would have dreamed of being a few years ago."

Final adjustments are being made across various venues in Paris, with thousands of athletes and officials arriving in the city, and the weather improving significantly. Notably, the water quality of the Seine, which will be used for the opening ceremony, marathon swimming and triathlons, has seen a significant improvement since early July, according to Estanguet.

"All the indicators for the Seine are positive at this stage," Estanguet said.

Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (L) and Tony Estanguet swim in the Seine River less than 10 days before the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, July 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

The Paris 2024 head also highlighted the lasting legacy of environmental improvements through the water quality upgrades. "We have spent a lot of energy on this over the last few months, and recent tests show that everything is in the green. We are monitoring everything several times daily," he said.

"As of 2025, we will leave a clean River Seine that people will be able to swim in various parts of. That will be a legacy," Estanguet added.

Playing a crucial role in the opening ceremony, the Seine will host 6,000 to 7,000 athletes aboard 85 barges and boats, marking the first time a Summer Olympics opening ceremony will take place outside the main athletics stadium. Up to 300,000 ticketed spectators are expected to watch from stands and riverbanks, with an additional 200,000 viewing from nearby apartments.