The AOC is hoping it doesn’t confront a situation in which athletes are stranded and will request a vessel with a toilet on board. There is no guarantee that will happen.
Australian athletes and officials won’t know until at least July 12 whether their boat will have a toilet. Final allocations will depend on all nations’ marching numbers, and with about 80 athletes and 30 officials planning to take part in the opening ceremony, Australia could be assigned several boats. Australia is sending close to 500 athletes to the Olympics.
In a statement to this masthead, an AOC spokesperson said: “We are confident our athletes will be well looked after and will really enjoy their opening ceremony experience. It’s a unique idea, never done before, but we will work with organisers to provide the best experience.”
The Paris 2024 Organising Committee did not respond to a request for comment.
The ceremony will be a five-hour, door-to-door trip for athletes who travel from the Olympic Village and leave immediately after the boat parade.
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It will be a 7½-hour round trip if they stay for the final show at the Trocadero, near the Eiffel Tower. Many athletes have decided they won’t participate due to the time it will take. The Australian swimmers will not attend because their competition begins the next morning.
All boats used for the opening ceremony will be slightly different shapes and sizes. Some will have outdoor areas.
Technical rehearsals have taken place in recent weeks and organisers are confident the opening ceremony will run smoothly.
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Source Agencies
