Three days before the 2024 Olympics begin, France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that around 1,000 people suspected of foreign interference or espionage have been blocked from attending the Games in Paris, AP News reports.
This is part of a broader security effort involving approximately 1 million background checks on Olympic staff, volunteers, and others with access to the highly secured areas along the Seine River. In total, about 5,000 individuals were barred from the event due to concerns such as suspected Islamic radicalization, political extremism, and criminal records. The checks are part of France’s stringent security measures, which include deploying 35,000 police officers daily and 10,000 soldiers in the Paris region. The country is also receiving assistance from over 40 countries, contributing 1,900 police reinforcements.
Darmanin emphasized that the security measures are designed to protect the Games from various threats, including terrorism and cyberattacks. He highlighted specific concerns about potential threats to the Ukrainian team and Israeli athletes, who will receive 24-hour protection from elite units.
