Sports

Boats carrying thousands of athletes representing 206 countries traveled along the Seine River, officially opening the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The opening ceremony kicked off at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. ET) on Friday after suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s high-speed rail network.

No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina withdrew from this summer’s Olympic Games in women’s tennis because of acute bronchitis.

Heightening tensions, France’s high-speed TGV rail network was paralyzed by vandalism and arson attacks, just hours before the opening ceremony.

‘They are taking a stand for newsrooms that reflect the diversity of the communities they are reporting for,’ a union official said.

Hundreds are stranded ahead of the games, with the rail operator advising people to postpone their journeys and avoid going to stations.

It might be more Gallic grumpiness than sporting prowess that the Paris Olympics will be remembered for.