As tradition dictates, The Paralympic Flame was lit yesterday in Stoke Mandevillea city in England that saw the birth of Paralympic sport. In 1948, in parallel with the London Olympic Games, neurosurgeon Ludwig Guttmann decided to organize sports competitions to rehabilitate his war-wounded patients. The Flame is traditionally lit in this small town to honor his memory.
After being lit in England, the Flame headed to France via the Channel Tunnel this Sunday, carried by 24 British athletes. Halfway there, 24 French athletes took over the baton heading to Calais.
Upon its arrival in this city of Pas-de-Calais, the Flame will divide not into one, but into 12 flames that will light up on the borders of the hexagon ! All will travel across France for 4 days and will converge simultaneously on Paris to light the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
In all, these are nearly 1000 scouts who will carry the Flame in around fifty cities across France, always under the watchful eye of internal security forces.
For an exceptional event, exceptional security measures are in place. As announced by the Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories, and as for the Olympic Torch Relay, a protective bubble made up of 18 to 30 police officers and gendarmes so-called “runners” will protect each Flame, reinforced by an on-board anti-drone device from the national police, 12 motorcyclistsGIGN gendarmes and a Mobile Force Unit, namely 150 police officers and gendarmes in total.
On the day of the opening ceremony, 15,000 police officers and gendarmes will be mobilized to secure the opening ceremony concentrated on the Concorde and the lower part of the Champs-Élysées.
