Tout puissant. Magnifique. The golden city. During the initial week of Paris 2024, there have been moments that evoke the feeling of being an outsider at an extravagant gathering. A stylish and stunning affair, yet one where you find yourself as mere background, akin to an industrious canapé server roaming the venue while France revels in the spotlight, singing karaoke and dancing joyfully at the center of the vibrant festivities.
As we mark a week into the Games, they’ve been spectacular, invigorating, and impressively conducted with a focus on sustainability. However, the marquee moments have prominently featured French highlights, from the thrill of the men’s rugby sevens triumph – where French players continue their endless celebration, with some even spotted dancing in sunglasses in Ibiza – to an opening ceremony that resembled a polished and compelling advertisement for Paris, culminating in the captivating triathlon event that at times felt like a blend of dire environmental warnings and a glossy Netflix series, titled E coli in Paris.
Wednesday at La Défense Arena showcased a perfect blend of local talent and Olympic grandeur as Léon Marchand clinched double gold in one evening, establishing himself as the emblem of Paris 2024 and igniting a fervent national yearning. “There are moments when time seems to freeze, where the image before us feels almost illusory, and its creator is on the brink of making history.” This isn’t from William Blake or Barbara Cartland, nor is it a tagline for an exuberant male fragrance — it’s the front page of Le Monde, France’s esteemed broadsheet, expressing breathless excitement over a swimmer in a rubber cap moving at remarkable speed.
It has been a splendid midsummer reverie, untouched by rain or even, thus far, by the impending crises of an poorly managed boxing competition. This is what France truly needed. A nation caught in a standstill, navigating the political chaos of leadership changes and the surge of its Le Penist far right, is now proudly displaying flags from car windows and indulging in positivity and all things sweet. This phenomenon shouldn’t be surprising; the Olympics are crafted to evoke such sentiments. Enormous resources have been devoted to fostering that spontaneous feeling of joy. We recall London 2012’s joyful and patriotic spirit. Sports have a potent allure. However, these emotions can wither as summer fades.
For the time being, the only clear beneficiary after the first week of Paris 2024 is the International Olympic Committee, which desperately sought a successful Games to regain its momentum after the bizarre experiences of Tokyo. After a week, there’s vibrancy, illumination, and a palpable sense of scale. Yet, as Paris enters week two, two critical components remain unaddressed.
For these Games to truly resonate, beyond just appealing to those already engaged or boosting the morale of the hosting nation, they must capture the essence of competition, embodying sporting excellence. While older NBC viewers might have their collective memories of yesteryear, the same cannot be said for the younger crowd. According to a pre-Games survey by EduBirdie, nearly 90% of the UK’s Gen Z has never watched even a second of the Olympics, and one in three wouldn’t even notice if the Games were canceled.
While this may sound excessive, it’s not far from reality. Many in their twenties might not bat an eye if Christmas were to be canceled or if the pensions system were to collapse. Nonetheless, the IOC should remain vigilant. If this sprawling, somewhat peculiar event is to make its mark on a younger, more diverse audience, two things must be achieved.
Firstly, there needs to be a genuine sense of cohesion and unity. While there have been splendid moments, Paris has felt a bit fragmented so far. This fragmentation arises partly from the variety of venues but also signifies a larger existential dilemma. The Olympics is, at its core, an idea—a collection of distinct events, whether it’s horse dancing or pole vaulting, that must be purposefully intertwined into a singular experience.
At times, Paris has conveyed the impression of being a series of diverse events happening concurrently, often divided along national lines. For instance, on Tuesday afternoon, the South Paris Arena hosted impressive table tennis finals dominated by East Asian players, with a sizable Chinese audience providing their support, fostering local rivalries. That same evening, the women’s team gymnastics final at Bercy Arena felt predominantly American, filled with flags and notable attendees like Bill Gates and Spike Lee. Even the media zones were overcrowded with roving groups from US television networks, featuring distinct clusters of reporters geared up in casual attire, all congregating around one highly polished correspondent who was safeguarded while others grabbed coffee and chatted in the corridors.
This fragmentation represents the prevailing trend. Watching the BBC for extended periods can induce intense waves of nationalistic fervor. However, this phenomenon is mirrored elsewhere. NBC is dedicated to showcasing American athletes for American audiences. China’s media coverage tends to be distinct, focusing significantly on analyzing the emotions of its athletes in a rather generic fashion (“I felt despondent and resolved to apply my skills with more precision”).
An intriguing disconnect exists here. Western media often portrays China as a relentless sporting powerhouse, yet its coverage remains fairly restrained. A lively sense of sporting nationalism prevails in the US and UK, with reporters exuberantly celebrating local champions, while British media often frames its heavily subsidized sporting success as a story of underdog triumph. Thus, while we may operate in different environments and narratives, fundamentally, we are quite similar.
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Furthermore, these Games could greatly benefit from a bit more thrilling competition. At face value, the competition appears to be between the US and China, engaged in their traditional race for the top of the medal table. Yet, this rivalry feels somewhat subdued. To date, the US and China have only exchanged silver and gold medals in two events. While it may seem trivial, the subdued performance of the Chinese swimming team means there are few opportunities in Paris for the US and Chinese athletes to go head to head.
This situation arises partly due to the unpredictable nature of competition. Genuine rivalries are infrequent. Having elite athletes compete at their peak for two weeks every four years requires numerous factors to align. Those that do emerge become memorable for this very reason. Notable examples include Daley Thompson versus Jürgen Hingsen, Mary Decker against Zola Budd (more drama than performance), Carl Lewis battling Ben Johnson, and The Miracle on Ice, which depicted the very essence of the Cold War dynamic through a direct competition between the US and USSR.
In modern times, this phenomenon is partially a byproduct of the rigid high-performance culture, which prioritizes medals over rivalries, aiming for weaknesses rather than exciting matchups. This approach has fostered a perception of nations staging their separate Games. Both the US and China boast their Dream Teams (for China, it’s diving). Each nation excels in specific areas. Interestingly, the US generates an alternative medal table, or “medal count,” allowing it to finish on top as perceived by its domestic audiences, which contrasts with the global outlook, where the IOC positions China ahead based on gold medals.
As for track and field, there don’t appear to be any clear US-China confrontations on the horizon, typically the most electrifying week of any Olympics. However, we can anticipate exhilarating encounters like Femke Bol versus Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the women’s 400m hurdles, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen versus Josh Kerr in the men’s 1500m. In addition, there’s a potential matchup between Jamaican and US sprinters, with the highly anticipated internal competition among US athletes Gabby vs. Sha’Carri in the 200m set to unfold, representing vastly different backgrounds. Sometimes, even a single outstanding race can be enough to ignite excitement.
Ultimately, the Games have proven to be a magnificent spectacle, well-organized and aesthetically captivating. Yet, there’s still potential for greater impact. It remains to be seen whether the political nuances surrounding the event will begin to surface after the initial excitement subsides. For now, the initiative to Reclaim The Sporting Summer remains firmly on track.
