French Sports Minister Amelie Udea-Castera said today that no consideration is being given to moving the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, planned for the Seine in Paris next summer, despite the risk of terrorist attacks.
"We don't have a plan B, we have a plan A in which there are several plan Bs," she told France Inter radio.
Two days after an attacker known for radical Islamism and psychiatric disorders in Paris killed a German tourist with a knife and injured two other people with a hammer, the sports minister reminded that "the terrorist threat, especially the Islamist one, exists."
However, "it's not new and it's not specific to France, nor is it specific to games," underlined the minister, who added that everything is being done to minimize it as much as possible with absolute vigilance.
The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is due to take place on the Seine, between two famous bridges in Paris, and Udéa-Castera stressed that there is no Plan B.
"There are a number of customization options," she explained.
She specifically stated the number of spectators during this ceremony, which will be determined in the spring, and which is subject to change. These adjustments will also concern "the number of festivities that will be authorized in the area and in Paris" and "the management of security perimeters".
Asked if moving the ceremony was part of the plans, the minister said: "That's not a hypothesis we're working on."
Faced with concerns caused by the attack on Saturday evening, near the Eiffel Tower, Udea-Castera reminded that security measures "will be significantly increased during the Olympic and Paralympic Games".
"There's no doubt that the opening ceremony will be a particular security challenge, but we've known that since day one," she said.
"We have the capacity to provide that event," promised the French Minister of Sports.
Bonus video:
