Sport

Central Paris locks down for Olympics as athletes arrive

With the opening ceremony just days away, organizers are also putting the finishing touches to the temporary sports stadiums at iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides or the Place de la Concorde.

Published

4 months ago

July 21, 2024

Ariana News

Thousands of French security forces locked down large parts of central Paris over the past three days, ahead of the hugely complex Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

The opening parade on July 26 along six kilometers of the river Seine led to the closure of central river-side districts to most vehicles.

Traffic on the city's boulevards was lighter than usual, with many drivers staying away, while tourist numbers are down and many Paris residents have headed off on holiday to avoid the disruption.

"Our clients are down by 50 percent," said Renaud, a senior waiter at the famed Deux Magots cafe in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, which is inside the new security perimeter.

"Normally we have people queueing out the door," he told AFP, gesturing towards the numerous empty seats on the outdoor terrace.

Advertising boards, new artwork and Olympics bunting are going up, while the creation of Olympic VIP traffic lanes this week are the latest change to the capital's streets.

"The Olympics have brought us nothing but misery," taxi driver Rabah Ouanes, 53, complained last week, saying traffic had been dreadful since April because of all the construction work.

"I have lots of clients who get in and then abandon their journey when they see they're not getting anywhere."

'SUPER EXCITED'

Elsewhere, the first athletes started arriving late last week at the newly built Olympic Village in the Saint-Ouen northern suburb of the capital which urban planners are hoping to regenerate.

Comprising around 40 different low-rise housing blocs, the complex has been built as a showcase of innovative construction techniques using low-carbon concrete, water recycling and reclaimed building materials.

It was intended to be free of air-conditioning, although Olympic delegations have ordered around 2,500 portable cooling units for their athletes out of fear of high temperatures.

UNPRECEDENTED CEREMONY

Securing the Paris Games remains the biggest priority for French authorities, with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin insisting Wednesday that there was "no credible threat" against them at this stage.

The opening ceremony has been giving senior police officers cold sweats ever since it was announced in 2021 because of the difficulty of protecting so many spectators in such a large, densely packed urban area.

Around 6,000-7,000 athletes are set to sail down the Seine on nearly a hundred barges and river boats.

It will be the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main athletics stadium, with up to 500,000 people set to watch in person from stands, on the river banks and from the overlooking apartments.

Anyone wanting to enter the highest-security "grey zone" along both banks of the Seine, such as residents or tourists with hotel reservations in the area, need a security pass in the form of a QR code.

The installation of tens of thousands of metal security barriers all along the route and around the temporary venues has also outraged some Parisians.

"It's a bit like being in Planet of the Apes," Aissa Yago, who lives on the Ile Saint Louis in central Paris, told AFP. "All they need to do is throw us some peanuts."

Martine Dubois, a 74-year-old living in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, said the Olympics were "a real inconvenience".

The metro stop she uses for work was one of 10 closed for security reasons on Thursday and the barriers "make you feel like you're living in a prison," she told AFP.

Fans across Afghanistan meanwhile can tune in to watch the Games on Ariana Television.

Four Afghans included in Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024

Related Topics:#Paris2024 #Paris2024Olympics featured France Olympics Paris Sports

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Sport

Ariana News to broadcast IPL auction live and exclusively in Afghanistan

Published

5 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Ariana News

The highly anticipated TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) Player Auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday November 24 and Monday November 25 - an event that will be broadcast to Afghanistan’s cricket fans live and exclusively by Ariana Television and Radio Network (ATN).

The two-day event will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana News.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this year. It will be the second time that the IPL mega auction is held outside India after last year's event in Dubai.

This year's mega auction will have 1,574 players registered, of which 574 names will go under the hammer.

Of those 574, a total of 366 players will be Indian and 208 will be foreign cricketers.

A number of big names will be in fray, with as many as 81 players choosing to register themselves under the highest base price bracket of Rs 2 crore ($237,000).

Afghan players

Eighteen Afghan players have been shortlisted for the IPL mega auction.

Two hundred and four (204) slots will be up for grabs with 70 available slots for overseas players.

Full list of Afghan players shortlisted for the auction:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Noor Ahmad
Waqar Salamkheil
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman
Azmatullah Omarzai
Naveen-ul-haq
Zahir Khan Pakten
Sediqullah Atal
Mohammad Nabi
Gulbadin Naib
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Najibullah Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
Qais Ahmad
Karim Janat
Faridoon Dawoodzai
Nangyal Kharote

For cricket fans across the country, the IPL mega auction broadcast will be on Sunday and Monday from 1.30pm Kabul time on Ariana News. For more information and updated stories be sure to watch this space and follow us on social media.

Sport

Pakistan trumps Afghanistan by only 13 runs in U19 Tri-Series One Day match

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket

Published

1 day ago

November 20, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s U-19 cricket team went down to Pakistan by only 13 runs on Wednesday in their third tri-nation series One Day match at the ICC Academy in Dubai.

This was Pakistan’s first win over Afghanistan in the ongoing tournament after the Afghans defeated their opponents by 100 runs at the same venue on Friday.

Chasing 245 to win, Afghanistan lost their opening batter Mahboob Khan in the first over but recovered as Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada secured a 104-run partnership for the second wicket.

After Faisal’s departure, Uzairullah soon followed with Afghanistan at 142 for three in 26.5 overs.

Afghanistan were bundled out for 231 in 46.4 overs.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pakistan’s opening pair Shahzaib Khan and Usman Khan provided a solid 129-run stand to Pakistan.

Left-handed Usman, who scored a century against Afghanistan in the previous match, scored an 88-ball 77, which included eight fours.

Shahzaib meanwhile top-scored for the side with 78 off 101 balls, hitting seven boundaries.

For Afghanistan, Abdul Aziz Khan and Khatir Khan Stanikzai bagged three wickets apiece, while Naseer Khan Maroofkhil snapped two wickets.

Pakistan will take on the hosts UAE U19 in their last group match on Friday, 22 November.

In a post on X, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said late Wednesday: “Not the result we would have wanted but Afghanistan Future Stars will look to bounce back in the next match.”

Afghanistan will take on UAE U19 on Sunday, November 24.

Sport

Afghanistan beat UAE by 169 runs in U19 tri-series

Published

3 days ago

November 18, 2024

Ariana News

Afghanistan under-19 cricket team defeated the United Arab Emirates under-19 team by 169 runs in their second match of the tri-nation series in Dubai on Monday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Afghans posted 359-5 as they played all the mandated 50 overs in the ICC Academy in Dubai.

Faisal Khan scored 156 runs while captain Mehboob Khan made 141.

In reply, UAE made 190 before they were all out in the 45.4 overs.

It is Afghanistan U19's second consecutive win in the two matches they have played so far in the tri-series.

Afghanistan U19 defeated Pakistan by 100 runs in their first match.

Afghanistan U19 will meet Pakistan U19 again on Wednesday.