The Olympics’ Security: France’s Most Valuable Gold Medal
Charlotte Hubau is a second-year BSc student in Politics and International Relations at UCL. Her field of interest mainly covers military strategy and global security dynamics. She did a dual French- American high school diploma and is about to intern in the French Police.
Introduction
A 'gold-medal performance' declared Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin at the Paris police headquarters, praising France's ability to ensure adequate security measures for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games [3][4]. Indeed, as Paris geared up to host the 2024 Olympics, spectators' and participants' safety quickly became the priority, with an evident emphasis on international cooperation. The Olympic Games are a global celebration, attracting athletes and visitors from over 200 nations every 2 years. The unwavering - and still growing - concern about terrorist attacks since the beginning of the War on Terror has prompted France, but also every nation participating, to forge a solid partnership in order to enhance security measures [2]. The Munich Massacre of the 1972 Olympics is still a strong reminder of the constant need to address potential threats and to ensure the safety of everyone attending the Games. Given the scale of the event and the diverse array of international tourists, any attack on a facility welcoming foreign athletes or visitors could quickly escalate into a full-blown conflict, particularly between nations already experiencing heightened tensions [6]. To prevent such risks, France proactively engaged in strategic partnerships with countries worldwide to ensure a safe environment for everyone involved—following a path other nations have also taken in similar situations.
France’s case is one of many
Indeed, international cooperation for events of high significance and attendance is now a well-established process. Other global competitions, such as the FIFA World Cup or the Wimbledon tournament, also benefit from these defensive partnerships. For instance, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar faced similar security challenges, and Qatar sought assistance from international partners to manage potential threats. Turkey deployed a large contingent of police officers to support local efforts, whereas countries like the United Kingdom, France and the United States provided additional expertise in crowd management, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism [1]. But it is not like this situation isn't new to France either, which, facing ongoing domestic unrest for years, particularly in New Caledonia, has leaned on allied forces in similar situations, including the Euro 2016 and the 2023 Rugby World Cup [2].
The Collaboration
The engagement of military exchanges for these Olympics was, however, unprecedented. Nearly 1,750 internal security officers from around forty countries were mobilised in France this summer, according to a police source cited by AFP [1]. "A significant portion of
these officers were deployed in train stations, airports, and around the 39 Olympic or sports venues," stated the French Ministry of the Interior during his headquarters visit [4]. These reinforcements were intended to support the nearly 35,000 French police officers, gendarmes, and 18,000 French military personnel mobilised daily to secure the Games [3] [6]. European nations, led by Spain with 360 officers, the United Kingdom with 245, and Germany with 161, formed the largest contingents. Qatar also sent 105 personnel, including explosive-detection teams stationed at Charles de Gaulle Airport [1].
The European Perspective
The Olympics also allowed European countries to prove their strong security collaboration and military partnership against powerful nations such as the United States or China. In March, France and Germany agreed to a bilateral cooperation plan to "provide mutual support with internal security forces" during Euro 2024 in Germany and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris [1]. Poland had confirmed the same month that it would send military reinforcements to France for the summer period. "An operational force, including sniffer dogs, will be deployed in Paris. Its primary objective will be to conduct explosives detection and counter-terrorism operations," explained Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz [2].
Other Goals?
Even so, spectators' and athletes' actual security appeared to only be one of many goals such exponential measures served. Squadron Leader Amélie Frey, responsible for coordinating the arrival of international reinforcements within the Directorate for International Security Cooperation (DCIS), explained that "the idea is to make it easier for spectators to approach security by allowing them to easily identify police officers or gendarmes from their own country, as they will all be in their national uniforms » [5]. This means that the organiser's aim was also for people to overcome language barriers and the feeling of being lost as a tourist abroad, thereby creating a sense of security for spectators at the Games [5]. Indeed, the perception of safety appeared just as necessary to maintain in order to shun any form of mass crowd surge, whose risk was already amplified by the scale of the Games.
Conclusion
The deployment of international reinforcements to support France's security forces for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is a powerful example of international cooperation and solidarity. This exceptional mobilisation strengthens security measures while adding an essential human and preventive dimension crucial for the event's success. This collaborative security framework underscores nations' unity and shared vigilance during events of global significance, ensuring that the Olympic spirit thrives in a secure environment.
Works Cited:
[1] AFP (2024), ‘JO 2024: Des Policiers Etrangers Aident la France à Sécuriser les Jeux’, BFM, RMC Sport, France
[2] Ayad, C. (2024), ‘Sécurité et Jeux olympiques : une réussite grâce à d’énormes moyens et beaucoup de pression’, Le Monde, France
[3] Everett, M. (2024), ‘’Gold medal’: France wins plaudits for security after high-risk Olympic Games’, France 24, France
[4] FranceInfo (2024), ‘JO de Paris 2024 : le bilan côté sécurité mérite "une médaille d'or pour les policiers et les gendarmes", estime Gérald Darmanin’, FranceInfo, France
[5] Hours, F. (2024), ‘Des renforts étrangers aux côtés des forces de sécurité intérieure françaises pour les Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024’, Ministère de l’Intérieur, France
[6] Parsons, A. (2024), ’Paris 2024: The biggest security threats facing the Olympics’, Sky News, UK
