5

Aug

24 Olympic Games

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Covid era gone it is record turnout at all events

Prabhjot Singh

A person wearing a red turban Description automatically generated

Paris | Monday | 5 August 2024

If the spectator’s response is any indication, Paris has successfully buried the demon of COVID-19. Face masks are no longer mandatory. Even the Covid vaccination certificates are not required to visit any venue where Olympic competitions in different sports and games are held.

Go anywhere in this tourist-friendly host city of the 2024 Olympic games, no one talks of the dreaded pandemic that forced humanity to a standstill. Its impact was so severe that organisers of various sporting events compromised to keep the spectator stands empty. The International Olympic Committee was not only forced to agree to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games by a year but also endorsed the decision of the Tokyo Olympic Games Organising Committee to keep the spectator stands empty.

Even those who competed in the 2020 Olympic Games held in 2021, fear of contracting the dreaded disease haunted them throughout.

In Paris, instead of medics and paramedics, there are more cops on view everywhere. Instead of medical check-ups, there are security check-ups everywhere. Interestingly, these frisking and security sensitisation exercises are conducted by volunteers while the official security agencies and their men keep a watch on all suspicious-looking people and objects.

 

Article at a Glance
The city of Paris has successfully put the COVID-19 pandemic behind it, and the atmosphere is electric as it hosts the 2024 Olympic Games. Gone are the days of mandatory face masks and vaccination certificates, replaced by a festive atmosphere and packed stadiums.

Security remains a top priority, with a strong police presence and volunteers conducting security checks. The city has also requisitioned police and security forces from friendly nations, including India and the USA, to ensure a safe and secure environment for athletes and spectators alike.

The Olympic hockey competition has been a major draw, with fans from Europe and South Asia flocking to the venues to cheer on their teams. The stands have been filled to capacity, with fans from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain adding color and charm to the competition.

On the field, the competition has been intense, with India pulling off a historic win over Great Britain and Spain dethroning defending champions Belgium. The Netherlands has also made it to the semis, beating Australia with two second-half goals.

However, Hockey India has expressed concerns over the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the tournament, citing inconsistencies in video umpire reviews and coaching of goalkeepers during shoot-outs. The organization has called for a thorough review of these matters to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches.

 

Paris has now provided a change. The atmosphere in the Olympic city is festive. There may be a substantial decrease in tourist footfall in Paris, but Olympic revellers have nearly filled the gap.

On Sunday, when the knockout round of the hockey competition started, an overwhelming response to the game added charm and colour to the competition. The stands are almost filled to the brim.

Since five of the eight quarterfinalists are European, hardcore fans of this stick and ball game have been following their teams to the venue of the Olympic Hockey competition. When the Netherlands played Australia in the third game of the day, every fourth spectator in the stands had an orange shirt. When Belgium and Spain played each other, fans from the two contesting teams filled nearly 70 per cent of the total seats.

This is not to deny hockey fans from South Asia who nearly filled three-fourths of the stadium in the first game between India and Great Britain. The story is no different at other venues. Beach volleyball competition held close to the iconic Eiffel Tower has been overflowing with Olympic revellers.

Security continues to be a major concern for the Organising Committee as all venues have been heavily barricaded with the deployment of a strong posse of police. France has requisitioned police and security forces from friendly nations, including India and USA. Policemen from as far as California are on anti-terror and anti-sabotage duty here. There are canine squads, both from within and outside Europe.

Spain, Netherlands win

India after its amazing and historic win over Great Britain has set in motion games that end with surprising results. Spain dethroned defending champions Belgium in the second game. The Netherlands beat Australia by two second-half goals to join India and Spain in the semis.

The Netherlands and Australia played a goalless first half.

In the fifth minute of the third quarter, the Netherlands scored from a penalty corner to take the lead. Duco Telgencamp was the scorer. Till the end of the third quarter, the Netherlands led 1-0.

Hanging on to the third-quarter lead, the Netherlands consolidated its lead in the 52nd minute when Thijs van Dam scored a gem of a goal from a solo effort. He ran the length of the Australian half of the pitch and then surprised the opponent’s goalkeeper with a neat flick to make it 2-0.

Use as a Box

Perturbed by “umpiring” and other technical aberrations witnessed during the India-Great Britain match, Hockey India has a representation to the  Technical Delegate of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to express its serious concerns.

“Hockey India has officially raised concerns about the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the ongoing Paris Olympic Games 2024 (Men's tournament). The complaint focuses on a critical match between India and Great Britain, where several inconsistencies in officiating potentially influenced the game's outcome.

Key issues highlighted include:

1. Inconsistent video umpire reviews, particularly regarding the red card decision for an Indian player, which has eroded trust in the video review system.

2. Coaching of a goalkeeper from behind the goalpost during the shoot-out.

3. Use of a video tablet by a goalkeeper during the shoot-out.

These incidents have undermined confidence in the officiating process among players, coaches, and fans. Hockey India calls for a thorough review of these matters to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches,” A Hockey India communique circulated among members of the media covering the Games said.

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