Rugby fans frustrated by organisational problems at Paris Olympics

By Mohamed Bahaa

The rugby sevens event at the Paris Olympics faced significant organizational challenges as many fans were late entering the Stade de France, resulting in a less than smooth start to the games. The event attracted a record 69,000 spectators, the highest single-day attendance in sevens history. However, many participants missed out on some of the action due to long lines outside the stadium.

Gates were scheduled to open at 1:30pm, giving fans plenty of time to find their seats for the first match between Australia and Samoa. However, gates did not open until 3pm, just 30 minutes before the match was scheduled to kick off. The delay led to what some described as “pathetic” scenes outside the venue.

One supporter expressed his frustration, saying: “The chaos to get into the Stade de France was unbelievable. We couldn’t even see the end of the queue. Missing the first match was a huge disappointment. What poor organisation. Long live the Olympics.”

In response to the criticism, a Paris 2024 spokesperson claimed that all spectators had entered the stadium for the start of the rugby sevens session at 3:30 p.m. They acknowledged the queuing issues but suggested that such delays are to be expected when a venue is full. The spokesperson stressed that Paris 2024 is committed to improving access conditions in collaboration with venue stakeholders, prioritising the spectator experience.

Unfortunately, rugby wasn’t the only event affected. Long queues were also reported outside the Spain-Uzbekistan football match at the Parc des Princes. Paris 2024 spokesperson advised spectators to use the ‘Ile-de-France Mobilités’ application for travel planning and the official Paris 2024 application for session updates to avoid future inconvenience.

These recent issues are reminiscent of those that have plagued the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, particularly during the clash between England and Argentina at the Stade Velodrome. Fans experienced significant delays due to limited access points, insufficient staffing and extensive security checks. While there were no incidents during that match, the situation was described as “potentially dangerous” by some in attendance.

World Rugby apologized after the match in Marseille and stressed its commitment to improving the fan experience. However, these organizational challenges appear to be a recurring theme for France, who also faced criticism after the chaotic scenes at the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final in Paris.

As Paris 2024 continues to refine its approach, the question remains whether these efforts will successfully avoid similar problems at future events.