France has denied a number of Russian journalists the right to cover the Olympic Games as a precaution, stated Gérald Darmanin, the French Minister of the Interior, as reported by Lejdd
Darmanin explained that France allowed Russians working with the International Olympic Committee to attend the Games, based on the principle of caution.
The French Foreign Minister reported that out of 960,000 dossiers examined by intelligence services, 4,340 people were denied access to work at the Olympics and attend related events. This includes volunteers, stadium staff, and members of sports delegations.
Among these "journalists," fewer than 100 were identified as spies. Most of those on the list were citizens of Russia and Belarus.
Darmanin expressed doubts that potential spies could organize a terrorist attack during the Games but voiced concerns about possible access to local networks for conducting cyberattacks.
Security at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will rely not only on police control on the streets but also on the intelligence community's ability to predict threats.
