Paris Olympics boosted by raucous fans in return of spectators for first time since pandemic

(30 Jul 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS:
Paris - 29 July 2024
1. Fans queuing outside Paris La Defense Arena to watch the swimming Olympic games
2. Organizer guiding fans
3. Fans in line walking into venue
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Tiffany Thompson, spectator:
“Like the atmosphere is so much fun. And everybody is so excited for their own sports and their teams to play. Since it’s been such a long time, I feel like it’s even more exciting now than it was before COVID.”
5. Fans walking inside barriers into venue
6. Mid of Paris 2024 signage as people walk in
7. Mid of police on horseback
8. Various of worker directing people
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandy Maureemootoo, spectator:
“I see people were really willing to come here and to get the ambience of the real Olympic games. So, we can feel it everywhere. In the streets, in the stadium, everywhere we can get it. It’s so exciting.“
10. Various of people in line
STORYLINE:
From the judo mat to the swimming pool, the star-studded stands at gymnastics and every venue in between and beyond, the Olympic fans have returned to the Games in raucous fashion in Paris.
The Paris Olympics are the first with spectators since the COVID-19 pandemic forced Tokyo in 2021 and Beijing in 2022 to host their Games with eerily empty venues.
The sounds in Paris are strikingly different than Tokyo, where athletes complaining about the scorching heat could be plainly heard and opponents could eavesdrop as masked coaches of rivals gave instructions.
In Paris, it is a flag-waving, chanting crowd that sings and dances as the fans cheer on the athletes.
"The atmosphere is so much fun. And everybody is so excited for their own sports and their teams to play. Since it’s been such a long time, I feel like it’s even more exciting now than it was before COVID," Tiffany Thompson, a spectator, said.
“I see people were really willing to come here and to get the ambiance of the real Olympic games. So, we can feel it everywhere. In the streets, in the stadium, everywhere we can get it. It’s so exciting," said Sandy Maureemootoo, another spectator.
AP Video by Ahmed Hatem; Andrea Rosa; Tanya Titova
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