French Security Services Reject Over 4,000 Accreditation Applications for 2024 Paris Olympics Amid Espionage Concerns.
French security services have denied more than 4,000 accreditation applications for the 2024 Paris Olympics due to concerns about espionage and cyber attacks. Additionally, around 100 journalists, technical workers, and therapists have had their visas rejected.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin disclosed that about 100 applications were turned down because of suspicions that the applicants were agents trying to gain accreditation under the guise of another profession. The rejected applicants posed as journalists or technical staff and were from Russia and Belarus, according to Schengen.News.
Paris Reduces Spectator Numbers for Olympics from 600,000 to 300,000
Russian athletes have received accreditation and have already arrived in Paris for the Games. To ensure the safety of the event, Paris will deploy 45,000 security personnel. The opening ceremony will feature athletes floating on barges along the River Seine, passing hundreds of spectators.
Organizers have decided to reduce the number of spectators from the initial 600,000 to around 300,000. Nearly one million accreditation requests have been reviewed so far, with 4,340 rejections. Some applicants were denied due to connections to radical Islamic groups or suspicions of being foreign spies.
The Paris Olympics, attracting hundreds of thousands of foreigners each year, will take place from July 26 to August 11. The Russian and Belarusian teams have been banned from the Summer Olympics due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Belarus has supported.
Germany Plans Border Controls with France for Olympic Security
To enhance security during the Olympics, Germany plans to establish temporary internal border controls with France. Although not yet implemented, these measures are expected to remain in place during the Paris Olympics.
As reported by Schengen.News, around 70,000 applicants worldwide are eligible to apply online for a Schengen visa to participate in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Two categories of third-country nationals will be eligible for a digital French Schengen visa. The first category includes Olympic and Paralympic Family members, whose applications are submitted to the Olympic or Paralympic Committee (OCOG). The second category includes other official guests invited by the OCOG.