Sports
No Russians: Top guests expected at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony
On Friday, July 26, the grand opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics on the River Seine will be attended by over a hundred heads of state and government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not confirmed his attendance, but Israeli President Isaac Herzog will be present, under heavy protection.
France is gearing up to welcome these dignitaries, including royalty and US First Lady Jill Biden, for the dazzling ceremony. Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, no Russian officials representing Vladimir Putin's government have been invited. The Israeli delegation will also be heavily protected amid ongoing tensions over Israel's actions in Gaza. "We are ready to welcome the world," stated Samuel Ducroquet, France's ambassador for Sports.
Europeans but no Russia
Russia, traditionally a strong contender in the Summer Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Games due to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year. However, a small squad of neutral athletes will represent the country. Ukraine has yet to announce whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the three-hour ceremony.
The new British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who aims to strengthen ties with France, will be in the stands overlooking the Seine to watch the river parade. Menna Rawlings, the British ambassador to France, highlighted the significance of the event for both France and the UK, noting that around 500,000 tickets have been sold in Britain.
Other European leaders expected to attend include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Finnish leader Alexander Stubb, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
US First Lady
US President Joe Biden, 81, will not attend due to health reasons and his decision not to seek re-election, but US First Lady Jill Biden has confirmed her presence at the Olympics. The closing ceremony will be attended by Douglas Emhoff, 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 ceremony under heavy protection, despite calls from Tehran on Tuesday to ban Israel from the Olympics due to the ongoing bombardment of Gaza since the October 7 Hamas attacks. The head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, Jibril Rajoub, will represent Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Gulf States
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have not disclosed their plans. However, the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was seen in Paris at the traditional pre-Games session.
Neither Xi nor Lula
Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend and will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has designated his wife Rosangela to represent the nation. Argentine leader Javier Milei and Colombia's Gustavo Petro have confirmed their attendance. The participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains uncertain.
African Leaders
Gabon’s Brice Oligui Nguema and Faustin Archange Touadéra of the Central African Republic will attend. However, Cameroonian leader Paul Biya's attendance has not been confirmed. Senegal's new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, will be present, while South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa will not attend. The opening ceremony will mark the first anniversary of a coup that ousted Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, with sports ministry official Abdoulaye Mohamadou representing Niger.
Royalty
Britain’s Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, and Prince Albert of Monaco arrived on Monday to attend the IOC meeting, as both are IOC members. King Felipe VI of Spain is expected to attend, as well as Denmark's King Frederik X, Queen Mary, and Princess Benedikte, the sovereign's octogenarian aunt.
