In keeping with the slogan for this year’s Olympics, ”Games Wide Open,” the opening ceremony took place outside a stadium setting by the river for the first time. In many respects, the Paris Games turned out to be one of the most elaborate cultural rituals since Covid swept across the world beginning in late 2019. Health restrictions forced the organizers of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 to sharply limit the scale of the festivities, with events largely closed to the public. Paris 2024, powered in part by pent-up demand for communal experiences, symbolized an international post-pandemic vibe shift.

The International Olympic Committee and French officials managed strict security measures in place. Yet the recent history of violence in France, including the 2015 terror attack in Paris that left 138 people dead and at least 16 injured, stabilized public consciousness prior to the games. The geopolitical backdrop for the Paris Games was no less troubling. The war between Israel and Hamas, which had crossed the six-month mark, raised fears of a protracted conflict and instability. The devastation in the Gaza Strip has provoked international unrest, isolating much of the region from the global stage. Meanwhile, Russia continues its military offensive against Ukraine, as global concerns about authoritarianism grow. These international crises raised serious political dilemmas that could come into play during the Games in the form of protests and other political demonstrations.

Nevertheless, Olympics organizers put on a show that stunned the throngs assembled on the boulevards of Paris, not to mention the millions of people who watched the Games unfold on their televisions and mobile devices. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, India secured a total of six medals: one silver and five bronze, which was one down from the highest haul of medals at the previous Olympics. Neeraj Chopra earned a silver in men’s javelin with an 89.45-meter throw, narrowly missing gold to Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem. Shooter Manu Bhaker made history by clinching bronze in the women’s 10 m air pistol, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in Olympic shooting. The men’s hockey team achieved a second consecutive bronze, defeating Spain 2-1, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring both goals.

Which of the following incidents support the argument that ”the geopolitical backdrop for the Paris Games is no less troubling”?