France Screens 1 Million for Paris Olympics
France is conducting security screenings for up to one million individuals ahead of the Paris Olympics, including athletes and those residing near critical infrastructure, as per the interior ministry.
Prior to the event starting on July 26, background checks will be conducted on all 10,500 Olympic athletes, 4,400 Paralympic athletes, their coaches, medical personnel, and 26,000 accredited journalists.
Julien Dufour, head of the SNEAS screening service within the interior ministry, stated that individuals will not receive accreditation from the organizing committee without undergoing screening, except for spectators.
Security agents, volunteers, and torch relay participants with access to sensitive areas will also be vetted, with 13 individuals already rejected for the torch relay, including those with drug offenses and suspected Islamist ties. People living near sensitive locations may also undergo verification.
Background checks will include examining criminal records and intelligence databases, with findings evaluated for disqualification. Each host country conducts its own security screening for the Olympics. The event is scheduled from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympics from August 28 to September 8.
France raised its terror alert level to the highest in October following a fatal stabbing incident at a school, amidst ongoing threats from Islamic extremists and tensions related to international conflicts.
