Paris Olympics chiefs hold emergency meeting ahead of opening ceremony as railways hit by co-ordinated arson attacks
PARIS 2024 bosses held an emergency meeting ahead of the opening ceremony today following France's rail network coming under attack.
Officials say the ceremony will go ahead after a wave of "sabotage" hit the French rail network overnight with a series of fires bringing trains to a halt hours to go before the opening ceremony.
Thousands of passengers throughout Paris, France, and even other countries have been stranded.
Eurostar services from London also subjected to significant delays and cancellations with ticket holders potentially missing events in this weekend.
A last-minute cancellation of a press conference sparked rumours the opening ceremony might be cancelled.
Just 45 minutes before creative directors Thomas Jolly and Thierry Reboul were due to give a briefing to international reporters in the main media centre at the Palais de Congres, reporters had a WhatsApp message drop calling it off.
Read more on sport
The message read: “Paris 2024 is sorry to inform you that this morning’s press conference is cancelled.
“We wish you a good day, fantastic Games and remain available to answer your questions.”
Games officials then refused to give any details, which led to a frenzy of speculation that the abrupt change of plans was related to the overnight vandalism incidents that have paralysed the French train network.
Paris is also set to be hit by bad weather tonight, with the forecast predicting showers just as the ceremony will take place.
Unlike previous Games, which have culminated in the Olympic flame being lit in the main athletics stadium, Paris will see a flotilla of boats travel along the Seine through the heart of the city.
But an hour after the initial message, it emerged that Jolly and Reboul have been summoned to attend an emergency meeting to make last minute changes to the ceremony.
And games insiders were adamant that, despite the rumours, there were NO changes to the plans and that the ceremony will take place as scheduled this evening.
The chaos comes with Paris already on high alert ahead of the global event.
The Games is set to be the most guarded of all time with a force of 60,000 cops and soldiers to be backed up by drones, helicopters and AI surveillance.
French officials have claimed the mammoth security operation is triple the size of that rolled out for London 2012.
On-the-ground troops will be made up of 45,000 cops and 18,000 soldiers in the biggest deployment France has seen since the Second World War.
Organisers have gone to the great lengths to secure the Games amid the sceptre of a possible terrorist attack and unruly protests.
France was already in a state of high alert with tensions boiling following the election.
More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.