Olympic Games archive

Paris 2024 Olympics: a computer and USB sticks containing security plans stolen from a train in Paris

The data was stolen from the briefcase of a Paris City Council engineer, who lodged a complaint with the Gare du Nord police station on Monday evening.

Sensitive data stolen just a few months before the competition. A bag containing a computer and two USB sticks containing the security plans for the Paris Olympic Games drawn up by the municipal police was stolen from a train at the Gare du Nord on Monday evening, police sources said on Tuesday, confirming a report by BFMTV.

The bag belonged to an engineer from Paris City Hall, it was added. At Gare du Nord, he had boarded a train going to Creil, in the Oise region. He had put his bag in the luggage compartment above his seat, according to the initial information given to the police by the man, who lodged a complaint with the Gare du Nord police station on Monday evening.

Changing trains

As his train was delayed, he decided to change trains and take another one that was also leaving for Creil, according to the police source reporting the employee's testimony. The owner of the bag explained that his work computer and two USB sticks contained sensitive data, namely the security plans for the Paris 2024 Olympics by the municipal police.

The investigation has been handed over to the regional transport police. Contacted by Le Parisien, Paris City Hall was unable to comment. The city plans to mobilise 2,000 municipal police officers for the Olympic Games, scheduled to run from 26 July to 11 August.

Text by Le Parisien with AFP

Tokyo Olympics: surprise winner of the 100 metres, Jacobs thinks he "needs four or five years to achieve".

A new European record holder in the 100 metres, Italian sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs did not expect to win the final of the showpiece event at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I really didn't know anything about him". Silver medallist in the 100m, Fred Kerley himself admits that Lamont Marcell Jaccobs' triumph in the world's most prestigious event came as a huge surprise. The first time I ran at the same time as him was at the Monaco meeting in July," said the American after the race. He did a fantastic job. I ran really well and I got a medal, so I can't complain. It was a great race and I set a personal best. I'm blessed to be here, at the peak of my career.

If there's one runner who can say as much, it's his Italian counterpart. In the 100m final, Lamont Marcell Jacobs beat the continental record, which he had already lowered in the semi-final, with a time of 9′80. Speaking in the mixed zone, the Italian runner made no secret of his delight and his own surprise at his resounding performance.

Were you expecting this title?

LAMONT MARCELL JACOBS No, no, my only dream when I arrived here was to reach the final. It's incredible, I don't have the words to describe this moment. I think I'll need four or five years to realise, to understand what's happened, it's incredible. I've worked really hard to get here in the best possible shape.

Italy has won two titles, including the height title. What does this represent?

It's incredible. Last night we were playing PlayStation in my room with Gianmarco (Tamberi) and we were thinking: "Imagine if we won? Nooo... It's impossible, don't think about it". But tonight I saw him win 5 minutes before me and I said to myself: "I'll do it". He's a really good guy, incredible, I love him. He's been through some bad times and now we're both Olympic champions.

You had never gone under 10 seconds this year, what did you change?

I've built up a very good team around me and I've worked hard on my mental state. Because before, when the important moments came, my legs weren't good. Now my legs respond well at the right moment. I'd like to thank my team. In training we changed the start, but above all we worked mentally. With a good diet, physiotherapy...

Text by Le Parisien with AFP

Tokyo 2021 Olympics: A woman tries to extinguish the Olympic flame with a water pistol

Opposed to the Olympic Games being held during the Covid epidemic, the 50-year-old was arrested.

OLYMPIC GAMES - The gesture is more symbolic than dangerous, but it is causing quite a stir in Japan. On Sunday 4 July, as the Olympic flame passed through the prefecture of Ibaraki, in the centre of the island of Honshū, a woman tried to extinguish it with a water pistol, as shown in our video at the top of the article.

She immediately justified this move by saying that she was opposed to the holding of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (postponed by one year, from 23 July to 7 August), while Japan is one of the richest countries lagging furthest behind when it comes to vaccination against covid-19.

Kayoko Takahashi, 53, an unemployed woman, was stopped after her gesture when she shouted: "I'm against the Olympic Games. Stop the Olympics". As the daily newspaper of record points out Asahi ShinbunThe authorities fear that the 50-year-old may have thrown a liquid other than water in the direction of the flame.

Like her, many Japanese people deplore the fact that the event is being held against the backdrop of a health crisis that is far from under control. At present, while part of Japan is living under extremely strict health restrictions, particularly Tokyo, which is in a virtual state of emergency, the contagiousness of the Delta variant and the resurgence in the number of cases are indeed worrying the population.

The Olympic Torch Relay in the streets of Tokyo, for example, will have to take place partly behind closed doors and has even been banned elsewhere in the country, but the sporting events should go ahead as normal, although the question of the public has not yet been settled. Although a maximum capacity of 10,000 people at each Olympic venue (within the limit of 50% of the venue's maximum capacity) has been decreed for the time being, the health situation could lead to this being revised downwards, or even to the Games being held without an audience.

Although Japan has been relatively spared by covid-19, with fewer than 15,000 deaths officially recorded since the beginning of 2020, its medical system has been severely tested. Above all, the vaccination campaign is taking a long time to get under way, with doses arriving in dribs and drabs, and only 10% of the population has already been fully vaccinated.

On Sunday, the Olympic torch relay in Ibaraki prefecture got off to a good start when it was led by Zico, a former Brazilian football star who became an icon in Japan by finishing his career there before coaching some of the biggest clubs and the national team.