It’s been 17 days since the 2024 Paris Olympics have officially concluded. After 2 action-packed weeks, it almost feels like it left us reeling for more, doesn’t it? But the 2024 Paralympics are finally here! From August 28 to September 8, we are in for even more action-packed days. If you thought you wouldn’t see the breathtaking sights of the City of Love some more, you were wrong! However, it’s not as exciting as the masses hoped it would be.
Even though competitions officially begin on August 29, the Opening Ceremony will take place on August 28. Many still aren’t over the magnificent ceremony we witnessed before the Olympic Games commenced. With iconic cameos from Zidane, Lady Gaga, the infamous masked crusader, and more, we got to watch every bit of the Olympic opening ceremony. But the same can’t be said for the 16th edition of the Paralympic Games. On a perfect summer evening, the ceremony was set to take place at the Place de la Concorde in the heart of the city.
Masses were expecting a seamless viewing experience—given a choice, no one would mind watching the entire ceremony. However, much to their dismay, many seemed to have missed yet another iconic cameo by none other than Jackie Chan. A huge crowd gathered on Paris’ street, watching the legend walk by with the Olympic torch in hand. He waved to everyone as he made his way to his destination. However, fans across the world were entirely aware of this even taking place.
It wasn’t until videos and images surfaced on the internet that several fans realized that this wasn’t presented to the masses by the broadcasters. This wasn’t the only incident they missed out on. Throughout the broadcast, many fans soon picked up on discrepancies that affected their viewing experience. While they were initially excited about the prospect of spending even more time glued to their televisions or phones, they are now miffed by how the programs are being handled.
The City of Lights will host over 4,400 athletes from 180 nations, with 22 sports making an appearance this time around. However, the Opening Ceremony debacle has left several wondering if their viewing experience will be interrupted throughout the entirety of the Paralympics. While the French capital had already found themselves in the eye of the storm during the Olympics, it doesn’t seem like things have changed for them just yet.
Paralympics opening ceremony broadcast has left a bad taste in fans’ mouths
After many noticed that they hadn’t been watching the ceremony in its entirety, they took to X to voice their disdain for the broadcasters. One fan stated, “This is such a disgusting act, maybe they should have put more focus on the event, but we all know they just care about money and Jackie is no different.” Fans were looking forward to a ceremony that encapsulated the experience of the Paralympics. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Another fan pointed out, “France 2 cuts out a large part of its journey. Not a word from the presenters about JC. An interview cut out because of sound problems.” Masses were hoping to catch a glimpse of the athletes and activities surrounding them. However, they weren’t too pleased with how the event was being handled. One fan agreed, “And the presenters who don’t give a damn… heartbreaking! When are the professional sports presenters arriving?” While the Olympics ceremony was deemed as too grandeur, the same seems to apply to the Paralympics Opening Ceremony.
Leave a Reply