2024 Olympics Recap & Main Takeaways

Photo by Bo Zhang via Uplash.

Sept. 8, 2024 marked the end of an olympic summer in Paris. The stakes were high, as Paris had not previously hosted the Olympics since 1924. Between broken records and social unrest, let’s dive into my main takeaways from Paris 2024!

1. Marketing in Paris

Paris has been in the spotlight all summer with these Olympic Games, which have shown Paris in a spectacular and elegant light. Indeed, it all began on the very first day with the ceremony on the Seine, which despite the rain sent out a strong message to the whole world. The urban marketing worked, and the visual spectacle outshone the sport, with the use of mythical sites such as the gardens of the Château de Versailles, the Eiffel Tower and the Palais Garnier. The magnificent city of Paris was worthily represented, and as a reward, 12 million spectators from all over the world attended the games–an all-time record. 

2. 126 Medals for Team USA

The American delegation was sparkling this year, taking a well-deserved first place on the medal table in terms of overall medals won. Once again, the USA demonstrated the power of sport as soft power, and this dominance only seems to be increasing. This year, the USA won 13 more medals than at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, with a total of 126 medals, including 40 gold, (equalling China in the number of gold medals, but with a greater number of medals overall).

3. Paralympics: a catalyst for change

The Olympic summer came to a close with two exciting weeks of Paralympic Games, marked by an all-time record for the largest number of participating delegations. The sporting performances were once again breathtaking, but the real challenge of the Paris Paralympic Games was to raise public awareness. Indeed, the Games served as a bridge to create a sense of unity not only between different countries but also with communities of people with disabilities. Some politicians even asked themselves how they could do more to help those living with disabilities. Valérie Pécresse, a French politician, expressed her desire to renovate Parisian transport systems to adapt them to be fully accessible. That’s what the Paralympic Games are all about: bringing us closer to isolated communities and inspiring positive change.

4.  When sports meets business

As with every Olympics, money is king, and the Olympics were particularly expensive, costing in excess of 10 billion euros. Indeed, with such a huge investment, the French government confiscated over a hundred student housing units for more than 3 months, and increased the cost of bus and metro tickets by almost 2.5 times the normal amount. These controversial decisions gave rise to numerous demonstrations and social demands.

5.  Hypocrisy in the land of human rights 

Every Olympiad brings its share of controversy, and this year’s Olympics were no exception. France has a reputation for openness, yet Muslim athletes were banned from wearing the hijab (a sign of belonging to Islam). This ban has also been criticized as anti-feminist. Further fueling these concerns, Steven Van de Vede, a Dutch volleyball player convicted on three counts of rape involving a minor, was allowed to participate in the Olympics. Although, the opening ceremony showed France to be a country of love and tolerance, these contradictions have been believed by many to run counter to the very spirit of sport.

Honorable Mention: Snoop Dogg, Paris Olympics true mascot

World-famous artist Snoop Dog made a sensational contribution to the magic of the Olympic Games. Snoop Dogg was hired by NBC as a presenter to cover certain sporting events, as well as a promoter for the Olympic Games. He seemed to be everywhere, and his charisma and humor brought a lot of levity. His energy was so iconic that these Olympics will be remembered as part of Snoop Dog’s legacy.