 "The Paris Olympic Games will commence with a breathtaking opening ceremony along the river Seine on Friday, featuring spectacular performances and a dazzling display of French culture and innovation. Reuters")
France is set to host a distinguished lineup of over a hundred heads of state and government, alongside notable figures such as US First Lady Jill Biden, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and various members of royalty, for the Summer Olympics.
However, no Russian officials representing Vladimir Putin’s government will be in attendance due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, though only a small team of neutral athletes will compete.
The Games will kick off with a breathtaking opening ceremony along the river Seine on Friday, featuring spectacular performances and a dazzling display of French culture and innovation. Samuel Ducroquet, France’s ambassador for Sports, expressed the excitement and said, “We are ready to welcome the world."
As the excitement builds of high-profile attendances, here’s a list of the top guests who will be gracing the Paris Olympics and those who won’t.
Europeans
The new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who is keen to strengthen ties with France, will be in the stands overlooking the Seine to watch the spectacular river parade.
Paris 2024 “is a big event for France but also for the UK,” said Menna Rawlings, the British ambassador to France, adding that around 500,000 tickets had been sold in Britain.
Other European leaders expected to attend include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and Finland’s Alexander Stubb, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Putin barred
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRussia, once a dominant force in the Summer Olympics, has been barred from participating in the Paris Games due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is now in its third year. However, a small team of neutral athletes will still compete under a neutral flag.
As for Ukraine, which continues to face the ravages of war, there has been no official announcement yet on whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the opening ceremony.
US first lady
US President Joe Biden, 81, who has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and is recovering from Covid, will not fly to Paris, but US First Lady Jill Biden has confirmed her presence at the Olympics.
The closing ceremony will be attended by Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now in the running for the White House.
Israeli delegation
Israeli President Isaac Herzog will attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, albeit under heavy security. This comes despite calls from Tehran to exclude Israel from the Games due to ongoing violence in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Meanwhile, Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, will represent Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas at the event.
Gulf countries
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – popularly known by his initials MBS – and Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have kept their plans under wraps.
But the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was seen in Paris at the traditional pre-Games session.
South America
Argentine President Javier Milei along with Colombian President Gustavo Petro have confirmed their attendance.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has delegated the task of representing the nation to his wife, Rosangela
China
Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be attending the Paris Olympics, with Vice President Han Zheng set to represent China.
What about India?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance at the Paris Olympics remains uncertain.
Along with him, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s plans are also under wraps.
African leaders
Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon and Faustin-Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic are confirmed to attend the Paris Olympics. However, the presence of Cameroonian leader Paul Biya remains unconfirmed.
Senegal’s new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, will be present at the event. In contrast, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa will skip the occasion.
The opening ceremony will also mark the first anniversary of the coup that ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger will be represented by sports ministry official Abdoulaye Mohamadou.
Royalty
Royalty will also be in attendance at the Paris Olympics. Britain’s Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles III, and Prince Albert of Monaco arrived on Monday for the IOC meeting, both as IOC members.
King Felipe VI of Spain is expected to be present, while Denmark will be represented by King Frederik X, Queen Mary, and Princess Benedikte, the king’s octogenarian aunt.
An Olympic truce
Wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other places are not expected to stop, but the Olympics will be an opportunity for intense diplomatic activity.
On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to call on nations to “lay down their arms”, and Macron has also called for “an Olympic truce”.
With input from AFP