Parisian 2024 Games: Competitions, controversies, and present-day sports wagering
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 are set to commence within a few days. Paris has been in a state of emergency for days, with final preparations for this grand event nearing completion. Below, we delve into the essential data for the Olympics and examine the current sports betting trends and major controversies.
Olympics 2024: Crucial Data
The Olympics 2024, alongside the UEFA European Football Championship, emerge as the year's most significant sporting events. Over a period of nearly two weeks, the globe's premier athletes will engage in thrilling competitions, vying for medals.
Here are the critical details before the event:
- Dates: July 26 – August 11
- Host City: Paris
- Opening Ceremony: July 26, Stade de France
- Sports: 32
- Participants: 10,500
- Nations Participating: 204
- Broadcast in Germany: ARD, ZDF
What Sports Betting Opportunities Exist for the Olympics?
For sports betting enthusiasts, the Olympics 2024 offers an appealing prospect. Competitions will be held in 32 sports in total, including popular options like tennis, basketball, football, and cycling. Germany will field more than 400 athletes.
German tennis fans can anticipate Alexander Zverev, age 27, who secured a gold medal at the previous Olympics and eagerly awaits another opportunity in 2024.
Bookmakers predict Carlos Alcaraz, 21, as the gold medal favorite:
- Carlos Alcaraz: 2.50
- Jannik Sinner: 4.00
- Novak Djokovic: 4.30
- Alexander Zverev: 7.00
- Rafael Nadal: 12.00
Football enthusiasts can also look forward to the Olympics. The German women's national team has qualified and will face Australia in their inaugural match on July 25. Although the Olympics officially commence on July 26, a few competitions will precede the opening ceremony.
Horst Hrubesch, 73, the women's national team coach, will be without Lena Oberdorf, 22, due to injury. Oberdorf, a midfielder for FC Bayern Munich, is unable to participate in the Olympics against her coach's wishes.
Those eager to wager on women's football at the Olympics can find the following odds:
- USA: 2.70
- Spain: 3.00
- France: 6.00
- Germany: 13.00
- Brazil: 15.00
- Japan: 15.00
Parisian Authorities Reject Over 4,000 Accreditation Applications
Even before the Olympics commence, certain controversies surrounding the event have emerged. Yesterday, it was disclosed that Parisian authorities have rejected over 4,000 accreditation applications due to connections to Islamists, espionage suspicions, or fears of planned cyberattacks.
In totality, authorities processed over one million applications. Anyone associated with the 2024 Olympics was required to submit an accreditation request. This liability extended to athletes, coaches, journalists, and numerous other groups. According to Spiegel Sport's reporting, the majority of rejected applications stemmed from individuals hailing from Russia and Belarus.
Is the Seine's water quality sufficient?
The Seine has been barred from swimming for more than a century. Running 777 kilometers, it converges into the English Channel at the French city of Le Havre. Various athletes are scheduled to swim through and compete in the Seine during the 2024 Olympics.
However, water quality appears to be a major concern. Daily water samples collected by authorities have detected bacteria such as E. coli and Enterococci. These bacteria can induce diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and other health issues.
French authorities have devoted substantial resources to cleanse the Seine and prepare for the Olympics. Approximately 1.4 billion euros have been invested to dramatically reduce pollution levels. Measures include constructing a flood retention basin, wastewater treatment plants, and locks to ward off contamination.
Despite these efforts, criticisms have emerged that athletes should compete in foul-smelling water. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, 65, has swum in the Seine to demonstrate its safety. However, athletes remain wary. In the event of high pollution levels on the day of competitions, they will be postponed to the following day. Participants contend that this serves to disrupt their preparations and hamper their focus.
Over 100 athletes with prior doping offenses will participate in the Olympics
The water quality is not the only concern prior to the Olympics. Of the 10,500 participating athletes, at least 105 have a doping history, having previously violated anti-doping regulations.
Romanian tennis star Simona Halep, 32, is one example. She has won Wimbledon and the French Open, amassing over $40 million in prize money. In October 2022, she was suspended following the detection of a banned substance in her blood sample taken from the US Open. She received a four-year ban but had her penalty reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing her to participate in the 2024 Olympics.
Bahrain's Ruth Jebet, 27, also has a doping history. She was handed a four-year ban in 2020 following two positive doping tests. A comprehensive ARD report also suggests that 23 Chinese swimmers may have tested positive for a banned heart medication at a recent competition in China.
Japanese gymnast expelled from the team for smoking and consuming alcohol
In the past few days, there's been another controversy surrounding the Olympic Games. The Japanese gymnastics federation has disqualified 19-year-old Shoko Miyata from the team. Miyata isn't just the captain of the Japanese gymnastics team but also the primary gymnast for the nation.
Miyata is under investigation for breaching the conduct code of the Japanese gymnastics federation. She was spotted consuming cigarettes and alcohol prior to the commencement of the Olympic Games. This is legally permitted in Japan only from the age of 20. The Japanese federation released a brief statement regarding the incident:
Following confirmation and negotiations with all parties involved, it was agreed that she would depart from the Olympic Games.– Kenji Nishimura, General Secretary of the Japanese Gymnastics Federation, Today
Miyata was expected to be Japan's strongest medal contender. In 2022, she won the bronze medal at the World Championships in Liverpool, England. This year, she has already earned several titles.
Part of the Olympic Games is scheduled to take place in Tahiti. Although it's widely known that the 2024 Olympic Games will occur in Paris, some competitions will be held outside France – and even beyond its borders.
Certain sports will be held in various French cities. For instance, football matches will be held in stadiums in Nice, Saint-Étienne, and Marseille. Sailing will occur in the French coastal city of Marseille.
Surfers aspiring to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games have a longer journey ahead of them. A total of 24 surfers will travel to Tahiti to participate in the competitions. Tahiti is approximately 15,700 kilometers away from Paris and located in French Polynesia, a French overseas territory, which is part of the EU.
The organizers aim to host the Olympic Games across France – including the overseas territories. Teahupo’o, the southern tip of Tahiti, is renowned for having the best but also the most treacherous waves.
Beneath the water, there's a coral reef. Falling surfers are likely to injure themselves on the reef. These injuries, known as Reef Cuts, can cause severe infections. Two German athletes, Camilla Kemp, 28, and Tim Elter, 20, will participate in the surfing competitions in Tahiti.
Criticism: Federation prevents French athletes from wearing a headscarf during competitions
The French federation has been receiving heavy criticism and disapproval in recent weeks. The federation has decided that French athletes are prohibited from wearing a headscarf during competitions. This ban applies exclusively to French athletes – not to participants from other countries.
The so-called "headscarf ban" is now even being severely criticized by human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International [English post]:
This post on Instagram A post shared by Amnesty International 🌎 (@amnesty)
Translation: The values of the Olympic Games are excellence, respect, and friendship. Above all, the host country should respect these. To achieve this, France must lift the hijab ban in sport.
The federation is accused of discrimination:
Politicians should not dictate to women what they should wear and what they should not. Women should not be compelled to choose between sport and their faith.– Katharina Masoud, expert on gender equality, intersectionality, and anti-racism at Amnesty International, Merkur*
Amnesty International has already written an open letter to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to stop the discrimination. The IOC sees itself as having the responsibility with the politics. Just a few days before the start of the 2024 Olympic Games, it appears that the ban will remain in effect.
This decision may be particularly confusing, given that around 5 million Muslims live in France. They make up 8.2% of the total population. Athletes from other countries continue to have the right to wear religious clothing during the competitions.
Despite the numerous controversies, the excitement in Paris and all of France is immense. The Olympic Games will commence next Friday with a grand opening ceremony on the Seine. The Paris authorities hope to present their city and their country in the best possible light during the Games.
The Olympics 2024 will undoubtedly be one of the year's most significant sporting events, alongside the UEFA European Football Championship. (from: Olympics 2024: Crucial Data)
With 32 sports to bet on, including tennis, basketball, football, and cycling, the Olympics 2024 offers numerous opportunities for sports betting enthusiasts. (from: What Sports Betting Opportunities Exist for the Olympics?)
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