​Paris Olympics 2024: Major goof ups at Olympics opening ceremony​

The 2024 edition of the Olympic Games began in Paris from July 26. More than 700 athletes representing 205 countries participated in the parade and enthusiastically waved to the fans and admirers waiting on the banks of Seine. The opening ceremony was the biggest in the history of the Olympics Games, as more than 300,000 people watched from the banks of Seine and billions from around the world tuned in to watch the opening ceremony, according to the event organizers. The evening was everything the organizers imagined and maybe a little more, because it is not a ceremony without a few things falling apart. Take a look at some of these goof ups which made the ceremony much more remarkable.

The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony was probably the most drenched opening ceremony in the history of modern Olympics. While the weather department had warned about the rains, it didn’t rain until 30 minutes before the 3 and half hour show. People who had lined up the banks to get a peek of the some 8000 athletes ran to the nearest shed. As the rain continued to fall, the crowds thinned, but the people who stayed protected themselves by wearing raincoats. The effect of rain was seen in the performances as well - the dancers had few slip ups here and there. The boats which carried delegations appeared tossed in the strong waves.

Due to massive downpour, it was reported that the giant screens that showed the movement of the Parde- suffered a blackout. Fans hoping to catch their sports heroes were disappointed when the screen suddenly blacked out at the Trocadero.

Following the parade and the rains, in an embarrassing moment the flags were raised upside down. The images of the upside down flag that had the Olympic emblem on it went viral on the internet soon enough. A masked flag bearer galloped on the horse across the Seine River to deliver the flag but after that it was hoisted the wrong way.

The French presenter introduced the South Korean delegation by North Korea’s official name- "Republique populaire democratique de Coree," followed by the English translation "Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This seemingly small blip looks like a major mistake when reminded that South Korea and North Korea have been at war against each other since decades. This error has sparked displeasure among the people in South Korea.

The internet has descended heavily on the event organizers for their inappropriate depiction of famous figures. The parade featured some acts which has earned the ire of netizens, these acts include- the recreation of Jesus Christ’s ‘The Last Soup’, beheading of Mary Antoinette, and depiction of Dionysus, the God of Wine, by Phillipe Katerine.

The main stadium, located in Saint-Denis, will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics events. Competitions will be held at iconic Parisian landmarks, including beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower, equestrian events at the Palace of Versailles, and archery at Les Invalides.