The Olympic flame that will be used to light the 2024 Paris Games will be transported via sea this time instead of land. The flame will travel to the French port of Marseille from its birthplace Greece aboard a three-mast ship.
City Hall in Marseille was the venue where the organizers of the Olympic Games unveiled the official route for the flame’s journey. It will begin in Ancient Olympia and travel to Athens before reaching the Old Port of Marseille. Hundreds of boats will then welcome the flame as it passes through the area, the news agency Associated Press reported.
The flame will then travel to the Marseille Marina, which will be used for the Olympic sailing events. It will also visit the city’s stadium, which will be used for soccer games.
The flame will then be transported overland in a torch relay. It will then arrive in Paris to officially open the Olympic Games, which will be held from July 26 to August 11. The Paralympic Games will also be held in the city.
The announcement came during a meeting of Ukraine’s national Olympic committee, which was also discussing a possible boycott of the 2024 Paris Games if the athletes from Russia are allowed to compete.
The International Olympic Committee last week tried to accommodate athletes from Belarus and Russia who have not supported the ongoing conflict in Ukraine by allowing them to participate in the upcoming Olympics. This angered Ukraine, which wants these countries to be banned from participating in international sports, the news agency reported.